Career comparison
Biology Professor vs. Microbiologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Microbiologists earn more at the median ($87,990 vs. $84,620), while microbiologists usually get to work faster (4+ years of training). Biology professors teach life sciences and lead biology research at the college level. 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
| Biology Professor | Microbiologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $84,620 | $87,990 ($42.30/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $52,150 – $169,900 | $54,670 – $150,000 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.3% (much faster than average) | +6.2% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 4,700 | 1,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 6–9 years after a bachelor’s | 4+ years |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in biology | ASM Specialist Microbiologist |
| Work setting | Biology faculty work in classrooms, labs, field sites and offices.. | Microbiologists work in labs, sometimes with infectious agents under biosafety rules.. |
What each job does
Biology Professor
- Teach biology courses
- Run teaching labs
- Lead a research lab
- Mentor student researchers
- Write grant proposals
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 problem-solving, hands-on work, indoor work, and high-pay. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and science, engineering & lab, but share transferable skills such as mentoring and attention to detail.
Which should you choose?
Choose biology professor if…
- I love biology
- I want to run a lab
- I enjoy teaching
Choose microbiologist if…
- I love biology
- I’m careful and precise
- I want to protect health
Still torn? Take the Biology Professor fit quiz and the Microbiologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biology professor or microbiologist?
Microbiologists earn more at the median: $87,990 versus $84,620 for biology professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Microbiologists typically train faster (4+ years) than biology professors (6–9 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biology professors to grow +7.3% from 2025–35, compared with +6.2% for microbiologists.