Biochemists and Biophysicists Salary in Boston, MA (2024)
Biochemists and Biophysicists in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median of $127,510 per year ($61.30 per hour) based on 12,430 jobs counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. That is +23.0% against the national median of $103,650 for this occupation.
Pay distribution
The median is a single point on a wide curve. The table below shows where biochemists and biophysicists actually sit across the pay range in Boston, MA, from the bottom decile to the top.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35.84 | $74,540 | |
| 25th percentile | $41.69 | $86,720 | |
| Median | $61.30 | $127,510 | half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $66.06 | $137,400 | |
| 90th percentile | $81.01 | $168,500 | |
| Average (mean) | $58.98 | $122,680 |
How Boston, MA compares
The local median of $127,510 runs +23.0% above the US median of $103,650 for this occupation; it pays 97.3% more than the metro-wide median across all jobs ($64,620); within the metro it ranks 66th of 688 detailed occupations by median pay.
| Benchmark | Median annual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA — this occupation | $127,510 | — |
| US median, same occupation (all areas) | $103,650 | +23.0% |
| Boston, MA — all occupations | $64,620 | +97.3% |
| Highest metro in the US for this job | $144,180 | -11.6% |
Boston, MA has an unusually deep bench in this occupation — the location quotient of 20.51 means the job is roughly 2051% as common here as it is nationally, which usually reflects a specialised local industry cluster.
High confidence The relative standard error on this estimate is 1.7%, which is a tight margin — the figure is stable enough to plan around.
Ranked 66th of 688 detailed occupations in the metro by median annual wage.
Highest-paying jobs in Boston, MA
To put $127,510 in context, these are the best-paid detailed occupations in the same metro area. This occupation sits 66th.
| Occupation | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Neurologists | $228,070 | 180 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $228,050 | 200 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $221,710 | 430 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $219,380 | 7,670 |
| Pediatricians, General | $213,240 | 2,360 |
| Physicians, All Other | $212,030 | 6,650 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $207,150 | 22,280 |
| Marketing Managers | $200,010 | 11,440 |
| Lawyers | $194,740 | 18,900 |
| Astronomers | $189,430 | 60 |
Where biochemists and biophysicists earn the most
Across the 20 metro areas with released data for this occupation, medians run from $59,170 to $144,180. These are the top markets.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $144,180 | 110 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $140,850 | 1,940 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $127,510 | 12,430 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $110,460 | 2,600 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $107,910 | 1,010 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $107,730 | 400 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $104,420 | 590 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $103,960 | 470 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $103,180 | 40 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $101,710 | 140 |
See the full national picture on the Biochemists and Biophysicists salary by metro page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for biochemists and biophysicists in Boston, MA?
The median annual wage is $127,510, or $61 per hour. That means half of the biochemists and biophysicists working in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn more than this figure and half earn less. The average is $122,680.
What do the highest and lowest paid biochemists and biophysicists in Boston, MA earn?
The bottom 10% earn $74,540 or less, while the top 10% earn $168,500 or more — a spread of $93,960 between the two ends of the distribution. The middle half of workers sit between $86,720 and $137,400.
Is biochemists and biophysicists pay in Boston, MA above the local average?
Yes, it is 97.3% above the all-occupation median for the metro, which is $64,620. That comparison is the fairer one for judging local purchasing power, because it holds the metro's overall cost and wage level constant.
How does Boston, MA pay compare with the rest of the US for this job?
At $127,510 the metro median is 23.0% higher than the US median of $103,650 for biochemists and biophysicists. Across the 20 metro areas covered here, this occupation ranges from $59,170 to $144,180.
How many biochemists and biophysicists work in Boston, MA?
BLS counts about 12,430 people in this occupation in the metro area, or 4.59 jobs per 1,000 total jobs. Boston, MA has an unusually deep bench in this occupation — the location quotient of 20.51 means the job is roughly 2051% as common here as it is nationally, which usually reflects a specialised local industry cluster.
About these figures
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for 2024 (employment relative standard error 5.3%). OEWS measures what employers pay, not what any individual earns; it excludes self-employed workers, and it does not adjust for local cost of living.
Read the full methodology, or the original data at bls.gov/oes.