Entry-level Microbiologist salary in Washington, DC

Based on 10 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level I in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Bethesda, College Park, Frederick.

Median salary$66,727
Middle 50%$59.8k–$81.5k
vs. all levels here−21%comparison median $85,000
Filings10FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $55,180 and $115,003.
PercentileSalary
10th$56,800
25th$59,783
50th (median)$66,727
75th$81,461
90th$108,463

Salary by year

Median salary

$60k $75k $90k FY2020: median $74,200 (19 filings) FY2021: median $79,925 (22 filings) FY2022: median $76,840 (16 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 19 filings FY20 FY2021: 22 filings FY21 FY2022: 16 filings FY22 FY2023: 5 filings FY23 FY2024: 5 filings FY24 FY2025: 7 filings FY25 FY2026: 3 filings FY26 22
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$74,200$68,756$79,63719
FY2021$79,925$72,896$85,78522
FY2022$76,840$56,000$83,91716
FY2023–––5
FY2024–––5
FY2025–––7
FY2026–––3

Cost of living

Washington's median entry-level Microbiologist salary of $66,727 is worth about $61,300 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 $66,727, 42% lower.

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

Employers filing at this level

EmployerMedianFilings
University of Maryland College Parktoo few5
National Institutes of Health, HHStoo 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.