Microbiology federal salary series 0403
Full-time federal employees in the Microbiology series earned a median of $138,024 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 26% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $115,260 and $169,368.
What shapes microbiology pay
The most common grade with published pay is GS-12 (332 employees, median $113,586). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Health and Human Services (959 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($172,700) and lowest in Iowa ($101,854), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.
OPM withheld pay for 14% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).
Microbiology pay by grade
Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.
| Pay plan–grade | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| GS-11 | 125 | $89,561 |
| GS-12 | 332 | $113,586 |
| GS-13 | 319 | $135,069 |
| GS-14 | 226 | $163,104 |
| GS-15 | 133 | $197,200 |
| RF (ungraded) | 48 | $242,120 |
| RG (ungraded) | 136 | $138,024 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Microbiology pay by agency
| Agency | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Health and Human Services | 959 | $142,412 |
| Department of Agriculture | 349 | $117,307 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Microbiology pay by state
The 7 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.
| State | Employees | Median pay |
|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 433 | $123,812 |
| Maryland | 362 | $172,700 |
| California | 83 | $135,657 |
| Iowa | 60 | $101,854 |
| Colorado | 51 | $126,587 |
| New York | 41 | $137,128 |
| Arkansas | 36 | $138,356 |
middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)
Compare microbiology pay across all states and agencies →
Change since September 2025
The median moved +3.2% from $133,732 in September 2025 to $138,024 in September 2026. Headcount went from 1,797 to 1,625 (−9.6%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.