Microbiologist Salary

Microbiology is basically a branch of biology that deals with study and research of all the living organisms that can be usually viewed only through a microscope. And a microbiologist is one who is an expert in microbiology. Though a microbiologist has scope to work in various fields, the basic job of any microbiologist is to study the effects of microbes like bacteria, viruses and fungi, on human life. Before knowing what is the average salary of a microbiologist, let us take a brief look at the job description of a microbiologist.

Microbiologist Job Description

As mentioned earlier, a microbiologist is a science professional who deals with the study of small organisms that can usually be viewed through a microscope. A microbiologist has to isolate a microorganism and identify its characteristics. He also has to study the effect of the microorganism on various chemicals and other stimuli like human health, food, etc. Plants, bacteria, fungi, animal, etc., are some of the microorganisms that are studied under this field and a microbiologist can become an expert at the study any of these microbes.

To become a microbiologist, one has to obtain either a Bachelor's degree or even a doctoral degree. A Bachelor's degree in microbiology has limited career opportunities and hence many students go for higher studies and obtain a Master's degree in microbiology. A Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree, together take almost 5 to 6 years to complete. And a doctoral degree requires 4 more years after the completion of a Master's degree.

Most microbiologists work for colleges and universities, where they teach the students of microbiology and which also includes research. Some microbiologists also work for private industries, that can include, clinical laboratories, the food industry, pharmaceutical industry, etc. Microbiologists who work for clinical laboratories study the relationship between a microorganism and a disease. They study and microorganisms that are responsible for developing particular diseases. Microbiologists working in pharmaceutical industries analyze the effect of a medicine on a particular virus or bacteria.

Salary Range of a Microbiologist

A microbiologist's average salary is $57,000 and can vary depending upon the location, type of industry, years of experience, etc. The salary of a microbiologist also depends on his/her educational qualifications and responsibilities. The salary of a microbiologist varies with the type of field he/she is working in. Microbiologists who work for research purposes in various industries, like the food industry or pharmaceutical industry, earn more as compared to those who work in universities and colleges. A microbiologist with a Bachelor's degree can earn $20,000 a year, while a microbiologist with a doctoral degree can get an annual income of $40,000. A fresher in microbiology with a PhD can expect a starting salary of $38,392 per year. The salary of a microbiologist increases with increased work experience. Given below are some tables that provide approximate figures, depending on the educational qualification and type of industry.

Educational Qualification	Salary (in $)
Bachelor of Science (BS, Bsc, SB) in Microbiology	36,121 - 56,930
Bachelor of Science (BS, Bsc, SB) in Biology	38,578 - 52,328
PhD	49,151 - 101,734
Bachelor of Science (BS)	40,000 - 68,400
Doctorate (PhD), Microbiology	45,000 - 90,250

Type of Industry	Salary (in $)
Research and Development	20,699 - 56,639
Pharmaceuticals	46,165 - 61,300
Laboratory Services	41,019 - 54,487
Health Care	39,514 - 53,089
Medical Device Manufacturing	3,233 - 57,169

This was brief information on microbiologist salary. The figures related to the salary of a microbiologist given in this article are approximate and can change with circumstances and location. I hope the information provided in this article will prove useful to you.