Microbiologist 4 pay range
State of Washington · class code 515M
- Class code
- 515M
- Salary range
- 66
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Microbiologist 4 is $82,440 to $110,952 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 515M.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 66 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $82,440 | $84,528 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 | $102,996 | $105,612 | $108,228 | $110,952 |
| Monthly | $6,870 | $7,044 | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 | $8,583 | $8,801 | $9,019 | $9,246 |
| Hourly | $39.48 | $40.48 | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 | $49.33 | $50.58 | $51.83 | $53.14 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
laboratory. Sections employ five or more subordinates and address various laboratory management subdisciplines; or acts as the research coordinator for all microbiological subdisciplines within a state laboratory; or is the quality assurance manager or the lead state laboratory evaluation officer for all microbiological subdisciplines of a state laboratory.
Examples of the work
Plans and directs all operational functions of a state laboratory section(s); Participates with management in determining what tests should be run by the section(s) and adapts known techniques to meet the operational facilities and standards of the sections; may act for the laboratories chief during their absence; Maintains continual surveillance over tests performed to assure adherence to proper technique and necessary standards of accuracy; bears direct responsibility for all work performed in the section(s); Conducts and coordinates laboratory studies and makes recommendations based on the findings; Confers regularly with personnel of local health or food safety departments, medical labor ...
Minimum qualifications
A Bachelor's degree with major study in microbiology, public health, pathobiology, chemistry, medical technology, environmental health or closely allied field. College curriculum must include at least 20 semester or 30 quarter credit hours in microbiology AND Six years of professional experience in a microbiology laboratory. A Master's degree in one of the above fields may be substituted for one year of experience. A Ph.D. degree in one of the above fields may be substituted for two years of experience. No more than two years of education may be substituted for laboratory experience.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.
Nearby classes in Washington
Microbiologist 4 in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $87,507 | $128,719 | $87,507 to $128,719 |
Each state publishes its own range for a classification with this exact title. Duties, grade structures and bargaining units differ between states, so read each class page before comparing.