SOC 19-1021 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro

Biochemists and Biophysicists Salary in Washington, DC

The average salary for biochemists and biophysicists in Washington, Washington, D.C. is $108,630 a year ($52.23 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $103,660: half of the 490 people in this job in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 18% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($132,380).

$108,630average per year

$52.23 / hourMedian $103,660Take-home ≈ $78,986

  • $66K10th
  • $71K25th
  • $104KMedian
  • $130K75th
  • $168K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

490people in this job
-18%vs U.S. metro average
109cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Biochemists and Biophysicists pay range in Washington

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,510 a year or less, while the top 10% make $167,550 or more. The middle half of biochemists and biophysicists in Washington earn between $70,770 and $129,970.

  • $66K10th
  • $71K25th
  • $104KMedian
  • $130K75th
  • $168K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$108,630$9,052$52.23
Median$103,660$8,638$49.84
Entry level (25th percentile)$70,770$5,898$34.02
Experienced (75th percentile)$129,970$10,831$62.49

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.

Biochemists and Biophysicists salary after taxes in Washington

On the average salary of $108,630, a single filer in Washington takes home about $78,986 a year, or $6,582 a month and $3,038 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.

The Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in WV$81,165$6,764
Working in MD$80,290$6,691
Working in VA$79,819$6,652
Working in DC$78,986$6,582

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).

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Is Washington a good place for biochemists and biophysicists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Washington area are 9% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 108.9), so the average $108,630 buys what about $99,767 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Washington ($71,060). A typical home costs $583,013, or 5.4 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $108,630 is worth in another city

Biochemists and Biophysicists salary in nearby metro areas

Highest-paying cities for biochemists and biophysicists

Jacksonville, FL pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($170,200).

Biochemists and Biophysicists salary by city

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Biochemists and Biophysicists salary in Washington: questions

How much do biochemists and biophysicists make an hour in Washington?

$52.23 an hour on average, and $49.84 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level biochemists and biophysicists salary in Washington?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,510 a year and the 25th percentile is $70,770, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the biochemists and biophysicists take-home pay in Washington?

About $78,986 a year ($6,582 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $108,630.

Do biochemists and biophysicists earn more in Washington than elsewhere?

The average here is 18% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($132,380).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-1021; area Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (47900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.5%.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.72, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.72).

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