Biochemists and biophysicists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Biochemists and biophysicists in the United States earn a median salary of $127,410 per year — about $61 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 36K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
This occupation is heavily centered on knowledge work, data analysis, and complex modeling, all of which are being revolutionized by AI (e.g., AlphaFold for protein structure prediction). While physical laboratory work and team management provide a buffer, a significant portion of the role involves literature review, grant writing, and data interpretation—tasks where AI can exponentially increase productivity or automate core analytical functions.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville, FLBEST VALUE | $174,880 | Average (99.5) | $175,787 |
| Knoxville, TN | $149,140 | Below avg (92.6) | $161,112 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $165,050 | Above avg (115.6) | $142,761 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $135,320 | Average (100.4) | $134,720 |
| Boulder, CO | $140,710 | Above avg (105.2) | $133,752 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $125,020 | Below avg (94.7) | $132,057 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area | $139,740 | Above avg (106.9) | $130,764 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $134,090 | Average (102.6) | $130,751 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $145,550 | Above avg (114.2) | $127,502 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $130,670 | Above avg (103.1) | $126,753 |
| Worcester, MA | $125,420 | Average (102.5) | $122,334 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $129,490 | Above avg (106.4) | $121,653 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $131,550 | Above avg (108.3) | $121,506 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $124,300 | Above avg (103.2) | $120,469 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $111,320 | Below avg (94.7) | $117,530 |