Bioinformatics
Salary Guide 2026
Real salary data from job postings
Based on 1,902 US job postings that state pay • Last updated: Oct 25, 2026
Bioinformaticians in the US are typically offered $142K–$214K a year. Entry-level roles start around $72K–$96K; senior roles pay $131K–$190K; principal roles $151K–$225K. These are the median posted minimum and maximum across 1,902 US job postings on CompBioJobs that state pay, shown alongside 1,220 US Department of Labor H1B disclosures (FY2026 Q1) at the bottom of this page.
Bioinformatics salary by level (2026)
| Career level | Median base salary (USD) | Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $72,000 - $96,000 | 71 |
| Mid level (Scientist I-II) | $116,000 - $179,000 | 273 |
| Senior | $131,000 - $190,000 | 341 |
| Principal | $151,000 - $225,000 | 250 |
| Director | $178,000 - $269,000 | 405 |
| VP / Executive | $275,000 - $392,000 | 31 |
Median posted minimum to median posted maximum, US postings in USD that disclose annual base pay (active and closed), excluding bonus and equity. Seniority is assigned per posting by our classifier. See the base salary guide for negotiation context.
Bioinformatics salary by job title
What each common title is offered, from postings with that title that state pay.
| Job title | Typical pay (USD) | Senior level | Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bioinformatics Scientist | $130K–$170K | — | 23 |
| Bioinformatician | $88K–$130K | — | 14 |
| Bioinformatics Engineer | $127K–$175K | $145K–$194K | 15 |
| Computational Biologist | $132K–$184K | $133K–$178K | 76 |
| Data Scientist | $145K–$215K | $145K–$205K | 124 |
| Machine Learning Scientist / Engineer | $154K–$258K | $151K–$251K | 83 |
Titles with fewer than 6 postings that state pay are left out rather than estimated. Biostatistician and statistical programmer pay is on the biostatistics salaries page; machine learning and AI roles on AI drug discovery & ML salaries.
Data scientist vs bioinformatics salary
Data scientist and bioinformatics titles overlap at pharma and biotech employers. Compared at the same level, from postings that state pay:
| Level | Data scientist | Bioinformatics / computational biology |
|---|---|---|
| Postdoc | $72K–$107K (7) | $72K–$90K (10) |
| Mid level | $115K–$187K (26) | $110K–$155K (49) |
| Senior | $144K–$204K (46) | $130K–$178K (42) |
| Principal | $169K–$222K (28) | $167K–$218K (22) |
| Director | $164K–$268K (48) | $200K–$256K (11) |
Genomics and bioinformatics data scientists (data scientist titles that name genomics, omics, bioinformatics or sequencing): typical posted pay $143K–$228K, across 17 postings.
Numbers in brackets are postings. Median posted minimum to median posted maximum, base salary; levels with fewer than 6 postings on either side are left out.
See the open roles behind these numbers
These figures come from the pay ranges in real job postings, open and recently closed. Browse the roles hiring now.
Biostatistician or statistical programmer? See biostatistics salaries, by level, with a level-by-level comparison to bioinformatics.
Bioinformatics salaries in the United States vary significantly by role, seniority, and location, and pay at individual biotech companies is broken down further down this page.
The highest-paying biotech hubs are San Francisco/South San Francisco, Boston/Cambridge, and San Diego; remote positions are compared in the location section below.
Base salary is only part of the picture. Total compensation in biotech usually also includes an annual bonus, equity (RSUs or stock options), sign-on bonuses, and benefits like 401k matching. The figures on this page are base salary only. Learn more in our Total Compensation Guide →
Key salary metrics from 2326 bioinformatics job postings with disclosed compensation on CompBioJobs. The median represents what a typical candidate earns, while the Top 25% threshold shows what top-paying roles offer.
Average Range
$148k - $218k
Median
$146k
Top 25%
$178k+
Data Coverage
46%
2326/5080 jobs
Computational Biology Salary
Computational biology salaries are comparable to bioinformatics salaries, and the two titles are often used interchangeably by employers. In practice, computational biologist roles often lean toward modeling or algorithm development, while bioinformatics scientist roles may focus more on pipeline building and data analysis. Because employers use the titles so loosely, this page reports pay by seniority rather than by title: see the level table above.
Pay for specific employers such as Genentech and Recursion is on each company's salary page.
Entry-Level Bioinformatics Salary
Entry-level bioinformatics salaries in the USA: postings list a median base range of $72,000 - $96,000, based on 71 US entry-level postings that disclose pay. Postdoc positions list $72,000 - $90,000.
The fastest way to increase your starting salary is to gain experience through internships and build a portfolio of analysis projects. Companies value candidates who can demonstrate practical skills in Python/R, NGS analysis, or ML—even without years of full-time experience.
Salary Distribution
This histogram shows how bioinformatics salaries are distributed across pay bands. Most positions cluster in the $100k-$150k range, representing mid-career roles. The "Min" bar shows the floor of posted salary ranges, while "Max" shows the ceiling. The gap between them reflects negotiation room—candidates with strong skills and experience typically land closer to the maximum. Use this to set realistic expectations during job searches.
Top Paying Bioinformatics Roles
These are the highest-paying job titles based on 2326 jobs with disclosed salaries posted on CompBioJobs. Data includes all active and recently archived positions to provide comprehensive salary benchmarks.
Head of AI for Alzheimer’s
1 job
$430k - $580k
Genome Bioinformatics Analyst
1 job
$0k - $1000k
Senior Data Analyst (PhD)
1 job
$0k - $1000k
Sr. Principal / Distinguished ML Scientist, Autonomous Science for Cell Biology
1 job
$360k - $570k
Vice President, Head of IP and Strategic Transactions
1 job
$387k - $495k
Research Engineer, Life Sciences
1 job
$350k - $500k
Genentech Fellow, Frontier Research, AI for Drug Discovery
1 job
$288k - $534k
Genentech Fellow/Executive Director, Frontier Research, AI for Drug Discovery
1 job
$288k - $534k
Vice President, Global Head of AI for Drug Discovery (AIDD)
1 job
$364k - $450k
Director, Machine Learning, Virtual Cell Initiative
1 job
$380k - $420k
Bioinformatics Intern Salaries
18 postings with pay dataReal intern compensation from postings on CompBioJobs. Most internships quote an hourly rate rather than a salary, so both are shown below as posted. Posted hourly rates run $18-$70/hour, roughly $5.4k-$8.1k/month at 40 hours a week. Postings that quote a term salary run $38k-$111k.
Paid by the hour
| Position | Company | Location | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Machine Learning Intern/Co-op | PathAI | Boston, MA or Remote | $55-$70/hr |
| 2027 Spring Co-op Quantitative Pharmacology, Morristown, NJ | Sanofi | Morristown, NJ | $57-$60/hr |
| 2027 Spring Co op Biologics Design and AI Cambridge MA | Sanofi | Cambridge, MA | $47-$60/hr |
| 2027 Spring Co-op Machine Learning AI, Cambridge, MA | Sanofi | Cambridge, MA | $47-$60/hr |
| 2027 Spring Co op Process and CMC Data Science Waltham MA | Sanofi | Waltham, MA | $35-$60/hr |
| 2027 Spring Co-op Bioinformatics, Cambridge, MA | Sanofi | Cambridge, MA | $45-$57/hr |
| Data Science Co-op | Johnson & Johnson | Danvers, Massachusetts, United States of America | $24-$53/hr |
| RWE & Modeling Summer Intern | Johnson & Johnson | Titusville, New Jersey, United States of America | $24-$53/hr |
| Proteomics Summer Intern 2027 | Johnson & Johnson | San Diego, California, United States of America | $24-$53/hr |
| Commercial Data Science & AI Co-op | Johnson & Johnson | Raritan, New Jersey, United States of America | $24-$53/hr |
Quoted as a salary
| Position | Company | Location | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 Future Talent Program - Nonclinical Drug Safety Data Scientist - Intern | Merck (MSD) | USA - Massachusetts - Boston (MA Parcel B Laboratory) | $39k-$111k |
| 2027 Future Talent Program – Chemical Biology Spatial Biology & Proteomics – Co-op | Merck (MSD) | USA - Massachusetts - Cambridge (320 Bent Street) | $39k-$111k |
| 2027 Future Talent Program – Optical Imaging Data Science – Intern | Merck (MSD) | USA - Massachusetts - Boston (MA Parcel B Laboratory) | $39k-$111k |
| 2027 Future Talent Program - AI/ML Biomedical Imaging and Computational Pathology - Intern | Merck (MSD) | USA - Massachusetts - Cambridge (320 Bent Street) | $40k-$111k |
| 2027 Future Talent Program - Quantitative Biosciences, Cellular Pharmacology & Lead Discovery - Intern | Merck (MSD) | USA - California - South San Francisco (Grand Ave) | $39k-$111k |
| Bioinformatics Apprentice | Gordian Biotechnology | South San Francisco, CA | $70k-$80k |
| Automation Scientist Graduate Intern, RAC Operations | Ginkgo Bioworks | Boston, Massachusetts | $38k-$54k |
| 2026 Fall Intern - Frontier Research, Prescient Design (AI for Drug Discovery) | Genentech | South San Francisco | $40k-$50k |
Salary by Company
Company size, funding stage, and compensation philosophy significantly impact bioinformatics salaries. Large pharma (Genentech, Pfizer, Merck) typically offers competitive base salaries with stable benefits and bonuses. Public biotech companies add RSU grants that can substantially increase total compensation. Well-funded startups may offer lower base but larger equity stakes with high upside potential. The table below shows salary ranges from 15 companies actively hiring.
| Company | Jobs | Avg Range | Top Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | 3 | $317k - $380k | $500k |
| Lila Sciences | 7 | $240k - $367k | $570k |
| GenBio AI | 3 | $250k - $340k | $400k |
| Lantheus | 2 | $205k - $360k | $381k |
| Nuvalent, Inc. | 3 | $265k - $300k | $300k |
| Edison Scientific | 2 | $220k - $325k | $350k |
| CZ Biohub | 2 | $228k - $313k | $331k |
| Arc Institute | 6 | $243k - $295k | $420k |
| Bicycle Therapeutics | 2 | $235k - $295k | $295k |
| Verastem Oncology | 3 | $238k - $292k | $310k |
| Absci | 2 | $199k - $318k | $375k |
| Maze Therapeutics | 2 | $228k - $207k | $280k |
| Insitro | 7 | $231k - $267k | $360k |
| Alkermes | 2 | $237k - $253k | $294k |
| Calico | 8 | $216k - $273k | $350k |
Salary by Location
Location is one of the strongest predictors of bioinformatics salary. The chart below compares metro areas using postings that disclose pay. Consider cost of living when comparing offers across cities.
Salary by Role & Location
The intersection of job title and location determines your salary range most precisely. A Senior Bioinformatics Scientist in San Francisco earns significantly more than the same role in smaller markets. Use this table to benchmark your specific role-location combination. Data is from job postings on CompBioJobs with disclosed salaries.
| Role | Location | Jobs | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal/Director | Boston | 173 | $175k - $262k |
| Data Scientist | Boston | 118 | $123k - $201k |
| ML Engineer | Boston | 77 | $121k - $182k |
| Senior Scientist | Boston | 74 | $130k - $195k |
| Principal/Director | San Francisco | 72 | $176k - $286k |
| Biostatistics | Boston | 54 | $190k - $249k |
| Computational Biology | Boston | 54 | $112k - $151k |
| Principal/Director | Remote | 45 | $179k - $280k |
| Senior Scientist | San Francisco | 41 | $155k - $243k |
| ML Engineer | San Francisco | 38 | $174k - $287k |
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bioinformatics Salaries
What is the average bioinformatics salary in the USA?
Across 1,902 US bioinformatics and computational biology job postings on CompBioJobs that disclose pay, the median base salary range is $142,000 - $214,000 (median posted minimum to median posted maximum). Pay depends mostly on seniority: entry level $72,000 - $96,000; mid level $116,000 - $179,000; senior $131,000 - $190,000; principal $151,000 - $225,000; director $178,000 - $269,000; VP and executive $275,000 - $392,000.
Do data scientists earn more than bioinformaticians?
Compared at the same level, on postings that state pay: postdoc data scientist $72,000 - $107,000 vs bioinformatics $72,000 - $90,000; mid level data scientist $115,000 - $187,000 vs bioinformatics $110,000 - $155,000; senior data scientist $144,000 - $204,000 vs bioinformatics $130,000 - $178,000; principal data scientist $169,000 - $222,000 vs bioinformatics $167,000 - $218,000; director data scientist $164,000 - $268,000 vs bioinformatics $200,000 - $256,000. Data scientist postings have the higher ceiling at postdoc, mid level, senior, principal, director level.
How much does a genomics or bioinformatics data scientist make?
Data scientist roles whose title names genomics, omics, bioinformatics or sequencing show a typical posted base salary of $143,000 - $228,000, across 17 postings that state pay.
How much do bioinformaticians make per year?
By seniority, median posted base salary ranges are: entry level $72,000 - $96,000; mid level $116,000 - $179,000; senior $131,000 - $190,000; principal $151,000 - $225,000; director $178,000 - $269,000; VP and executive $275,000 - $392,000. These are base salaries from real US job postings and exclude bonus and equity.
What is the entry-level bioinformatics salary?
Entry-level bioinformatics and computational biology postings list a median base salary range of $72,000 - $96,000, based on 71 US postings that disclose pay.
Is bioinformatics a good paying career?
Entry-level postings list a median $72,000 - $96,000, and pay rises steadily with seniority: principal-level roles list $151,000 - $225,000 and director-level roles $178,000 - $269,000.
What is the highest paying bioinformatics job?
Leadership roles pay the most. VP and executive postings list a median $275,000 - $392,000, and director postings $178,000 - $269,000. Among individual-contributor roles, principal scientists list $151,000 - $225,000.
Do I need a PhD for bioinformatics jobs?
A PhD is not always required for bioinformatics jobs. Many positions accept a Master's degree with relevant experience. However, senior scientist and research leadership roles at pharma companies often prefer or require a PhD. Bachelor's degree holders can enter as Research Associates or Analysts.
About This Data
Salary data is sourced directly from job postings on CompBioJobs. All figures are base salaries in USD and may vary based on:
- • Individual skills, experience, and negotiation
- • Company size, funding stage, and compensation philosophy
- • Total compensation (bonus, equity, benefits) not shown