Microbiologist salary in Washington, DC

Based on 19 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bethesda, College Park, Frederick.

Median salary$85,000
Middle 50%$66.7k–$108.4k
vs. national median+13%comparison median $75,000
Filings19FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $55,360 and $214,051.
PercentileSalary
10th$58,368
25th$66,727
50th (median)$85,000
75th$108,428
90th$141,451

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $85k $110k FY2020: median $76,638 (28 filings) FY2021: median $81,000 (35 filings) FY2022: median $81,667 (23 filings) FY2023: median $80,317 (14 filings) FY2024: median $99,007 (13 filings) FY2025: median $85,000 (11 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 28 filings FY20 FY2021: 35 filings FY21 FY2022: 23 filings FY22 FY2023: 14 filings FY23 FY2024: 13 filings FY24 FY2025: 11 filings FY25 FY2026: 8 filings FY26 35
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$76,638$71,544$93,04528
FY2021$81,000$74,113$102,83235
FY2022$81,667$58,060$106,85123
FY2023$80,317$63,622$96,96214
FY2024$99,007$77,500$173,00013
FY2025$85,000$69,247$108,42811
FY2026–––8

Cost of living

Washington's median Microbiologist salary of $85,000 is worth about $78,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).

Compared with all workers here

All Microbiologists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $114,800 in May 2025 (1,370 employed). The H-1B median here is $85,000, 26% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
University of Maryland College Parktoo few7
National Institutes of Health, HHStoo few5
Axle Informaticstoo few4
Kite Pharmatoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $66,727 10
Mid-level · Level II too few 2
Senior · Level III too few 2
Expert · Level IV too few 2

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$50,045$66,72710

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.