How much does a biology professor make?
Answer: A typical biology professor in the United States makes $84,620 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 50,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Biology professor pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $52,150 | $84,620 | $169,900 | about 50,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $129,150 | about 4,000 |
| Massachusetts | $105,050 | about 2,000 |
| Michigan | $103,620 | about 1,000 |
| Oregon | $100,820 | about 800 |
| Illinois | $99,060 | about 2,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., biology professors’ pay can differ with experience, senior rank and responsibility, location, and the kind and size of college. Full-time research-focused jobs can pay differently from part-time or teaching-focused roles, and specialized skills or credentials may matter too.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a biology professor do?
Teach courses in biological sciences. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
What's a typical day like?
They might discuss molecular biology in a lecture, then walk between lab benches as students work and stop to answer questions. At a research university, they may also run experiments, write papers or grant requests, and grade work.
How to get this job
Earn a biology-related bachelor’s degree, then usually a Ph.D.; some community-college jobs accept a master’s. Some then spend 2–3 years in postdoctoral research; a state license may be needed only for certain jobs tied to licensed professions.
Graduate degree or long training (preparation level 5 of 5)
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out.
Did you know?
Some biology professors spend 2–3 years in a postdoctoral research job, often at a college or university.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Educational Instruction and Library jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1042.00
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/May/oes251042.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY