Biochemists and Biophysicists
Biochemists and Biophysicists earn an average annual salary of $133,564, making it one of the higher-paying occupations. While facing some shifts, the field is adapting to changes in the job market. Professionals in this field are primarily employed in industries such as Cross-industry and Cross-industry, Private Ownership only.
Key Statistics
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Biochemists and Biophysicists workforce.
Employment Over Time
4,190 Workforce in 2023
The Biochemists and Biophysicists workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$133,564 Average Wage
In 2023, Biochemists and Biophysicists earned an average of $133,564.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Salary distribution for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Employment Growth Projections
-1.3% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
14,992 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -6.3%
14,049 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -12.2%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Biochemists and Biophysicists and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Biochemists and Biophysicists employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Wage Trends by Industry
4.5% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Metropolitan employment on this page is from the California OEWS extract. Area names omit state codes; all listed metros are in California, so the state chart shows California totals (not a multi-state ranking).
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- CA: 3,810 employees, $134,056 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD: 1,370 employees, $145,811 avg wage
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 1,010 employees, $119,728 avg wage
- Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD: 520 employees, $148,324 avg wage
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA: 300 employees, $140,189 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD: 290 employees, $117,254 avg wage
- Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD: 180 employees, $116,308 avg wage
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA: 80 employees, $113,606 avg wage
- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA: 50 employees, $112,877 avg wage
- Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA: 10 employees, $121,114 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Diversity
Demographic information on Biochemists and Biophysicists in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Biochemists and Biophysicists in 2023 was 4,190 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Biochemists and Biophysicists in 2023 were Business Administration, Health Sciences, Engineering.
Common majors for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Biochemists and Biophysicists workers.
Education level distribution for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Skills
Biochemists and Biophysicists need many skills, but most especially Science, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Critical Thinking, Active Listening.
Required skills for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Biochemists and Biophysicists include Biology, Chemistry, English Language, Mathematics, Physics.
Knowledge areas required for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Biochemists and Biophysicists include Written Expression, Inductive Reasoning, Written Comprehension, Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension.
Required abilities for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Biochemists and Biophysicists.
Daily Activities
Biochemists and Biophysicists spend their time on activities such as Analyzing Data or Information, Documenting/Recording Information, Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge, Thinking Creatively, Processing Information.
Most important work activities for Biochemists and Biophysicists.
About
Biochemists and Biophysicists
The average yearly wage for Biochemists and Biophysicists was $133,564 in 2023.
SOC Code
19-1021 - Biochemists and Biophysicists
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Biochemists and Biophysicists reports an average salary of $133,564, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 4,190 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -1.3%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.