The average salary for a molecular biologist in the United States is around $61,001 per year.
Avg Salary
Molecular biologists earn an average yearly salary of $61,001.
Wages typically start from $34,974 and go up to $106,399.
1% above national average Updated in 2023
Molecular biologist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level molecular biologist earnings begin at:
$51.15 per hour
$106,399 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level molecular biologist earnings begin at:
$39.30 per hour
$81,751 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level molecular biologist earnings begin at:
$29.33 per hour
$61,001 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level molecular biologist earnings begin at:
$21.88 per hour
$45,518 per year
10th percentile
Starting level molecular biologist earnings begin at:
$16.81 per hour
$34,974 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Molecular biologist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $99,640 |
| New York | $99,340 |
| California | $97,260 |
| New Jersey | $95,220 |
| Rhode Island | $94,580 |
| Virginia | $87,190 |
| South Carolina | $87,090 |
| Alaska | $86,760 |
| Minnesota | $86,070 |
| Hawaii | $84,430 |
| North Carolina | $82,640 |
| Ohio | $82,390 |
| Utah | $81,890 |
| Washington | $81,230 |
| Texas | $80,470 |
| West Virginia | $80,020 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,760 |
| Colorado | $79,730 |
| Michigan | $79,540 |
| Arizona | $79,530 |
| New Hampshire | $78,810 |
| Mississippi | $78,530 |
| Tennessee | $77,610 |
| New Mexico | $77,560 |
| Oregon | $77,480 |
| Wisconsin | $77,480 |
| Nebraska | $77,310 |
| Georgia | $77,190 |
| Arkansas | $76,800 |
| Illinois | $76,090 |
| Idaho | $75,420 |
| Wyoming | $75,420 |
| North Dakota | $75,250 |
| Iowa | $73,190 |
| Maine | $71,650 |
| Montana | $71,120 |
| Nevada | $68,950 |
| Puerto Rico | $68,950 |
| Alabama | $67,660 |
| South Dakota | $65,790 |
| Kansas | $65,290 |
| Vermont | $64,430 |
| Louisiana | $63,540 |
| Missouri | $62,600 |
| Indiana | $61,780 |
| Oklahoma | $61,630 |
| Kentucky | $60,700 |
| Florida | $52,000 |
| District of Columbia | $104,400 |
| Connecticut | $103,330 |
| Maryland | $101,900 |
| Delaware | $100,070 |
How do molecular biologist salaries compare to similar careers?
Molecular biologists earn 6% more than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than epidemiologists but more than biotechnicians.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Epidemiologist salary | $73K |
| Soil and water conservationist salary | $69K |
| Geodesist salary | $69K |
| Scientist salary | $67K |
| Microbiologist salary | $63K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $61K |
| Animal scientist salary | $58K |
| Zoologist salary | $49K |
| Chemical technician salary | $44K |
| Biotechnician salary | $39K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)