Career comparison
Chemist vs. Microbiologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Chemists earn more at the median ($91,240 vs. $87,990), while chemists usually get to work faster (4+ years of training). Chemists study substances and create new materials, medicines and products. 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
| Chemist | Microbiologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $91,240 ($43.87/hr) | $87,990 ($42.30/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $58,460 – $160,830 | $54,670 – $150,000 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +6.4% (faster than average) | +6.2% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 5,900 | 1,500 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 4+ years | 4+ years |
| Key credential | ACS-certified degree | ASM Specialist Microbiologist |
| Work setting | Chemists work in labs and offices in industry, government and universities.. | Microbiologists work in labs, sometimes with infectious agents under biosafety rules.. |
What each job does
Chemist
- Design and run experiments
- Analyze substances with instruments
- Develop new products and processes
- Interpret data
- Write reports and procedures
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 indoor work, working with information, problem-solving, and high-pay. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose chemist if…
- I love chemistry
- I enjoy experiments
- I like solving puzzles
Choose microbiologist if…
- I love biology
- I’m careful and precise
- I want to protect health
Still torn? Take the Chemist fit quiz and the Microbiologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, chemist or microbiologist?
Chemists earn more at the median: $91,240 versus $87,990 for microbiologists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Chemists typically train faster (4+ years) than microbiologists (4+ years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects chemists to grow +6.4% from 2025–35, compared with +6.2% for microbiologists.