Microbiologists pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,430 a year or less, while the top 10% make $186,530 or more. The middle half of microbiologists in San Francisco earn between $108,520 and $178,640.
- $76K10th
- $109K25th
- $130KMedian
- $179K75th
- $187K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $135,860 | $11,322 | $65.32 |
| Median | $130,070 | $10,839 | $62.53 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $108,520 | $9,043 | $52.17 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $178,640 | $14,887 | $85.88 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Microbiologists salary after taxes in San Francisco
On the average salary of $135,860, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $95,583 a year, or $7,965 a month and $3,676 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Francisco a good place for microbiologists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $135,860 buys what about $117,513 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 8.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Microbiologists salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 11 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- San Francisco$135,860
- Santa Rosa$126,450
- Vallejo$125,010
- San Jose$124,300
- Sacramento$123,550
- San Diego$103,650
- Modesto$102,370
- Fresno$101,640
- Riverside$101,600
- Los Angeles$101,560
Highest-paying cities for microbiologists
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($135,860).
- San Francisco, CA$135,860
- Santa Rosa, CA$126,450
- Vallejo, CA$125,010
- San Jose, CA$124,300
- Athens, GA$123,910
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Microbiologists salary in San Francisco: questions
How much do microbiologists make an hour in San Francisco?
$65.32 an hour on average, and $62.53 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level microbiologists salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $76,430 a year and the 25th percentile is $108,520, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the microbiologists take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $95,583 a year ($7,965 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $135,860. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do microbiologists earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 34% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,104).
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 19-1022; area San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.2%.
- 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 (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.42, this job is 2.4 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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