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Research and the lab

Microbiologist

Studies bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes to diagnose infections, keep medicines and food safe, and put microbes to useful work.

Microbiologists work in hospital and public health labs, drug and food companies, environmental firms and universities. It suits someone who likes careful lab work, enjoys detective work on samples and is comfortable with strict safety rules.

Also called Bacteriologist, Clinical microbiologist, Public health microbiologist or Quality control microbiologist.

At a glance

Way in
Bachelor's degree, often in microbiology, biomedical science, biological sciences and biochemistry
Pay in the US
$87,990 a year, the medianFor microbiologists, 2025
Pay in the UK
£23,000 starting to £45,000 with experience
US outlook
Faster than average, 2025-2035
Suits you if
You like careful lab work and want to know what makes people, food or water unsafe.

Pay is a guide: it moves with the country, the employer, the sector and the years in the job. Figures from O*NET OnLine (US) and the National Careers Service (UK); see the sources below.

The work

What does a microbiologist do?

  • Culture and identify microbes from patient, food, water or soil samples
  • Test which antibiotics work against an infection and report the results
  • Track outbreaks and spot patterns in infections across a hospital or region
  • Check that medicines and food are free from harmful contamination
  • Research how microbes cause disease or can make vaccines, enzymes and fuels

Where they work

  • Hospital and public health labs
  • Pharmaceutical companies
  • Food and drink manufacturers
  • Environmental and water companies
  • Universities

Skills

The skills a microbiologist needs

  • Aseptic techniqueculturing safely without contamination
  • Microbe identificationmicroscopy, staining, PCR and sequencing
  • Biosafetyhandling infectious material within strict rules
  • Data analysisinterpreting results and spotting trends
  • Attention to detailaccurate labels, records and reports
  • Problem solvingworking out what an odd result means

Route in

How to become a microbiologist

  1. Take biology and chemistry at A level, or equivalent
  2. Complete a microbiology or life science degree, some of which include an integrated master's
  3. Gain lab experience through a placement, summer project or technician job
  4. Join a training programme, or take a master's or PhD, to specialise

Degrees people take

  • Microbiology
  • Biomedical science
  • Biological sciences
  • Biochemistry

In the UK, graduates can train for NHS microbiology through the Scientist Training Programme, which combines work in a hospital lab with a master's.

Practise for it

The quizzes and tools that fit

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Next to it

Careers to weigh against it

Sources

Where the facts come from

Written for biofideX from these public sources. The pay figures are theirs, copied as published, last read 2026-10-25.

Requirements differ by country and change over time; check with the body that registers the profession where you will work. Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll correct it.

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