Career comparison
Biochemist vs. Microbiologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Biochemists earn more at the median ($127,410 vs. $87,990), while microbiologists usually get to work faster (4+ years of training). Biochemists study the chemistry of living things to develop medicines and new technologies. Microbiologists study bacteria, viruses and microbes to protect health and make products.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biochemist | Microbiologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $127,410 ($61.26/hr) | $87,990 ($42.30/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $74,290 – $201,110 | $54,670 – $150,000 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +12.3% (much faster than average) | +6.2% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 2,900 | 1,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 5–6 years after a bachelor’s | 4+ years |
| Key credential | Ph.D. | ASM Specialist Microbiologist |
| Work setting | Biochemists work in labs at universities, biotech and pharma companies.. | Microbiologists work in labs, sometimes with infectious agents under biosafety rules.. |
What each job does
Biochemist
- Design experiments
- Purify proteins
- Run assays
- Analyze data
- Write papers
Microbiologist
- Culture and identify microorganisms
- Test products for contamination
- Design and run experiments
- Monitor clean rooms and environments
- Analyze data
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, in-demand, working with information, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose biochemist if…
- I love biology and chemistry
- I’m persistent
- I like lab work
Choose microbiologist if…
- I love biology
- I’m careful and precise
- I want to protect health
Still torn? Take the Biochemist fit quiz and the Microbiologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biochemist or microbiologist?
Biochemists earn more at the median: $127,410 versus $87,990 for microbiologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Microbiologists typically train faster (4+ years) than biochemists (5–6 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biochemists to grow +12.3% from 2025–35, compared with +6.2% for microbiologists.