Maryland’s bioscience sector pays an average annual wage of $158,224, placing the state firmly among national leaders for research and innovation according to a report released by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and TEConomy Partners. That six-figure baseline sits at roughly twice the state’s private-sector average, showing an economic footprint that spans biopharmaceuticals, medical devices, and heavy federal funding streams.
A 51,705-Job Economy Driven by Labs and Therapeutics
The report, titled The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions, tracks an industry that employed 51,705 people across 3,594 Maryland establishments in 2025. Pay scales vary significantly by subsector inside those figures. Medical devices and equipment average about $121,000 annually, while pharmaceuticals climb to nearly $233,000 per year.
The state’s largest subsector, research, testing, and medical laboratories, drives much of that employment. It supports more than 30,000 workers while maintaining an average annual wage exceeding $145,000. These operations feed into a broader national network that, according to the same report, supported more than 2.3 million jobs nationwide in 2025 with employment growing 7% since 2021 and average annual wages reaching $145,188.
Academic R&D Outpaces the National Average
Academic research expenditures and federal dollars explain a large share of Maryland’s outsized output. Institutions across the state conducted nearly $2.9 billion in bioscience-related research and development in fiscal year 2024, translating to $460 per resident—more than double the national average of $203.
Federal Pipelines Deliver Billions in NIH Funding
On the federal side, Maryland operations received nearly $2.2 billion in National Institutes of Health funding in fiscal year 2025, yielding $345 per capita against a national average of $107.
Venture Capital and Patents Drive Maryland Bioscience Growth
Those federal and academic pipelines translate directly into commercial activity. Between 2021 and 2025, Maryland bioscience companies pulled in nearly $4 billion in venture capital investment. During that same window, local inventors were affiliated with 4,581 bioscience-related patents.
Maryland is home to one of the nation’s most impressive concentrations of scientific talent, research institutions and innovative bioscience companies. Our bioscience industry is a tremendous economic asset that creates high-paying jobs, attracts investment, and develops breakthroughs that improve and save lives. This report reinforces Maryland’s position as a national leader and underscores why we must continue building pro-innovation policies in Maryland, investing in the industry’s future, and attracting private-sector investment.
Competitive Pressures Threaten Regional Hubs
That assessment comes from Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council. Yet even as the data points to strong funding and high earnings, the report identifies competitive challenges.
