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Life & Physical Science

Biochemists

SOC 19-1021

Study the chemical processes and molecules that make life work.

The job
Median pay
$127k
$95k to $163k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+12% projected
Openings a year
2.9k
BLS projection
Typical education
Doctoral
Our model
AI displacement risk
High
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
7/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
71st pct
More exposed than 71% of occupations · modeled estimate · 80th pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
66/100

At a glance

Looking to 2035, the projected change for Biochemists is +12%, well ahead of the typical occupation we cover. Growth is the contrast with Economists: +12% here against +4.7% there. Roughly 2,900 positions open up annually for Biochemists, counting growth and replacement. The usual way in is a doctoral degree. A median wage of $127,410 sits $60,220 above the typical occupation we cover, and 43% above the median across Life & Physical Science. Works-with-AI scores 7/100 against high displacement risk, leaning toward displacement, with modeled exposure at the 71st percentile.

Take the next step

Weigh it against MicrobiologistsPay, outlook, entry and AI exposure side by side See where it pays mostFlorida leads at $157k; all states are listed below Find careers like itOpen the map at Biochemists and explore its neighbours See open jobsBiochemists roles hiring now Learn the skillsCourses for Biochemists, who lean most on science Real pay & reviewsSelf-reported pay and reviews on Glassdoor

Similar pay in Life & Physical Science

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Key skills

Pay and jobs by state

BLS OEWS May 2025, 50 states and DC. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.

StateJobsPer 1,000vs nationalMedian pay
Massachusetts14,8904.118.8×$132k
California3,2400.20.8×$140k
Pennsylvania2,7500.52.1×$134k
New Jersey2,5700.62.8×$123k
New York9800.10.5×$101k
Colorado9600.31.5×$131k (estimated)
Michigan7300.20.8×$109k
Maryland6900.21.1×$101k
Indiana621 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.9× (estimated)$113k (estimated)
North Carolina5700.10.5×$82k
All 50 states and DC
StateJobsPer 1,000vs nationalMedian pay
Oregon547 (estimated)0.3 (estimated)1.3× (estimated)$124k (estimated)
Arizona540 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.8× (estimated)$124k (estimated)
Connecticut5400.31.5×$133k
Texas5200.00.2×$98k
Delaware4901.04.7×$102k
Maine3900.62.8×$85k
Florida3700.00.2×$157k
Louisiana352 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.8× (estimated)$116k (estimated)
Ohio3500.10.3×$90k
Missouri2900.10.5×$80k
Idaho289 (estimated)0.3 (estimated)1.6× (estimated)$104k (estimated)
Washington2700.10.3×$99k
Nevada253 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.8× (estimated)$69k
New Mexico231 (estimated)0.3 (estimated)1.2× (estimated)$125k (estimated)
Montana203 (estimated)0.4 (estimated)1.8× (estimated)$109k (estimated)
New Hampshire2000.31.4×$110k
Minnesota1900.10.3×$81k
Mississippi188 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.7× (estimated)$100k (estimated)
Arkansas179 (estimated)0.1 (estimated)0.6× (estimated)$82k
Hawaii173 (estimated)0.3 (estimated)1.3× (estimated)$114k (estimated)
Wisconsin1700.10.3×$106k
West Virginia168 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)1.1× (estimated)$106k (estimated)
Utah1600.10.4×$82k
Alaska159 (estimated)0.5 (estimated)2.2× (estimated)$133k (estimated)
Illinois1500.00.1×$87k
Iowa1400.10.4×$101k
Kansas1400.10.5×$98k
Georgia1100.00.1×$86k
South Dakota108 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)1.1× (estimated)$101k (estimated)
North Dakota106 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)1.1× (estimated)$111k (estimated)
Wyoming101 (estimated)0.4 (estimated)1.6× (estimated)$113k (estimated)
Rhode Island99 (estimated)0.2 (estimated)0.9× (estimated)$77k
Alabama900.00.2×$49k
Washington DC700.10.5×$120k
Nebraska700.10.3×$67k
Oklahoma700.00.2×$69k
Virginia700.00.1×$106k
South Carolina600.00.1×$109k
Tennessee600.00.1×$135k
Kentucky400.00.1×$75k
Vermont400.10.6×$116k (estimated)

Top metro areas

  1. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH13,370 jobs · $132k median
  2. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD3,050 jobs · $134k median
  3. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ2,200 jobs · $110k median
  4. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA1,380 jobs · $165k median
  5. Worcester, MA1,060 jobs · $125k median
  6. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA710 jobs · $122k median
  7. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA580 jobs · $132k median
  8. Trenton-Princeton, NJ520 jobs · $124k median

Explore the rankings

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.