SOC 19-1022 · St. Louis, MO-IL metro

Microbiologists Salary in St. Louis, MO

The average salary for microbiologists in St. Louis, Missouri is $94,680 a year ($45.52 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $89,630: half of the 120 people in this job in the St. Louis, MO-IL metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($101,104).

$94,680average per year

$45.52 / hourMedian $89,630Take-home ≈ $70,978

  • $56K10th
  • $59K25th
  • $90KMedian
  • $122K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

120people in this job
-6%vs U.S. metro average
#1 of 2Missouri metros
95cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Microbiologists pay range in St. Louis

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $164,350 or more. The middle half of microbiologists in St. Louis earn between $59,480 and $122,000.

  • $56K10th
  • $59K25th
  • $90KMedian
  • $122K75th
  • $164K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$94,680$7,890$45.52
Median$89,630$7,469$43.09
Entry level (25th percentile)$59,480$4,957$28.60
Experienced (75th percentile)$122,000$10,167$58.65

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

Microbiologists salary after taxes in St. Louis

On the average salary of $94,680, a single filer in St. Louis takes home about $70,978 a year, or $5,915 a month and $2,730 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.

The St. Louis, MO-IL metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:

StatePer yearPer month
Working in MO$70,978$5,915
Working in IL$70,892$5,908

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

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Is St. Louis a good place for microbiologists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the St. Louis area are 5% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.1), so the average $94,680 buys what about $99,571 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in St. Louis ($49,990). A typical home costs $276,878, or 2.9 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $94,680 is worth in another city

Microbiologists salary in other Missouri cities

St. Louis ranks 1st of 2 Missouri metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.

All Microbiologists salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for microbiologists

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($135,860).

Microbiologists salary by city

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Microbiologists salary in St. Louis: questions

How much do microbiologists make an hour in St. Louis?

$45.52 an hour on average, and $43.09 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level microbiologists salary in St. Louis?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $56,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $59,480, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the microbiologists take-home pay in St. Louis?

About $70,978 a year ($5,915 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $94,680. Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do microbiologists earn more in St. Louis than elsewhere?

The average here is 6% less 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 St. Louis, MO-IL (41180). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.5%.
  • 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). Includes St. Louis's local income tax (1%); the 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.76, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.76).

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