Biochemists and Biophysicists: Career Overview
Study the chemical composition or physical principles of living cells and organisms, their electrical and mechanical energy, and related phenomena. May conduct research to further understanding of the complex chemical combinations and reactions involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and heredity. May determine the effects of foods, drugs, serums, hormones, and other substances on tissues and vital processes of living organisms.
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What Tasks Do Biochemists and Biophysicists Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of biochemists and biophysicists include:
- Share research findings by writing scientific articles or by making presentations at scientific conferences.
- Teach or advise undergraduate or graduate students or supervise their research.
- Study physical principles of living cells or organisms and their electrical or mechanical energy, applying methods and knowledge of mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology.
- Manage laboratory teams or monitor the quality of a team's work.
- Develop new methods to study the mechanisms of biological processes.
- Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.
- Design or perform experiments with equipment, such as lasers, accelerators, or mass spectrometers.
- Determine the three-dimensional structure of biological macromolecules.
What Biochemists and Biophysicists Need to Know
Effective biochemists and biophysicists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Biochemists and Biophysicists Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Analytical Research Chemist
- Biochemist
- Biochemistry Scientist
- Biological Chemist
- Biophysicist
- Biophysics Researcher
- Chemist
- Chemistry Scientist
Employment and Demand
There are about 92,228 biochemists and biophysicists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.7% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Biochemists and Biophysicists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $107,979 |
| Hourly median | $51.91 |
| 10th percentile | $77,409 |
| 25th percentile | $92,694 |
| 75th percentile | $123,263 |
| 90th percentile | $138,548 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $148,880 |
| Arkansas | $143,490 |
| California | $130,240 |
| Massachusetts | $127,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $112,850 |
| Virginia | $109,230 |
| Washington | $107,730 |
| New Hampshire | $103,980 |
| New Jersey | $103,360 |
| Wisconsin | $102,380 |
| Oregon | $101,390 |
| Delaware | $101,120 |
| Maryland | $99,800 |
| Maine | $96,110 |
| New York | $95,410 |
| Texas | $94,560 |
| Tennessee | $92,470 |
| Ohio | $83,150 |
| Minnesota | $82,610 |
| South Carolina | $82,370 |
| Idaho | $80,710 |
| Illinois | $80,570 |
| Iowa | $80,370 |
| Utah | $78,260 |
| Rhode Island | $75,860 |
| Kentucky | $74,630 |
| Missouri | $72,600 |
| Nebraska | $69,170 |
| Michigan | $64,200 |
| Indiana | $63,570 |
| Puerto Rico | $60,470 |
| Alabama | $57,720 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for biochemists and biophysicists differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $127,327 | 14.0% | 0.99 |
| New England | $124,151 | 41.8% | 15.72 |
| Middle Atlantic | $104,288 | 22.1% | 1.85 |
| Southwest | $94,560 | 2.1% | 0.23 |
| Southeast | $77,169 | 4.6% | 0.28 |
| Plains States | $77,069 | 2.3% | 0.44 |
| Great Lakes | $69,384 | 8.9% | 1.21 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $60,470 | 0.3% | 0.44 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Biochemists and Biophysicists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | FL | $144,180 | 110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $140,850 | 1,940 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $134,460 | |
| Worcester, MA | MA | $129,130 | 770 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | MA | $128,910 | 80 |
| New Haven, CT | CT | $128,760 | 110 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $127,510 | 12,430 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $126,830 | 300 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of biochemists and biophysicists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 22,410 | $109,790 |
| Manufacturing | 7,750 | $99,970 |
| Educational Services | 1,630 | $65,120 |
| Wholesale Trade | 910 | $132,500 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 450 | $102,190 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 220 | $87,470 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Perl (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for biochemists and biophysicists reflects the following characteristics:
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Data Scientists (Supplemental)
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Nanosystems Engineers (Supplemental)
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Animal Scientists (Primary-Long)
- Microbiologists (Primary-Short)
- Bioinformatics Scientists (Primary-Long)
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future biochemists and biophysicists commonly pursue programs in:
Biological and Biomedical Sciences
8 programs across 3 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-1021.00 (Biochemists and Biophysicists).
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