New Report Affirms Maryland’s Leadership in Bioscience Research and Innovation
State’s $158,000 average bioscience wage, nearly $3 billion in academic research and strong federal funding highlight industry strengths; report also identifies competitive challenges
Rockville, Maryland (October 29, 2026) — Maryland continues to rank among the nation’s leaders in bioscience research and innovation, according to a new report that highlights the state’s skilled workforce, world-class research capabilities, and strong record as a home for high-paying bioscience careers.
Released today by the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and TEConomy Partners, The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions finds that Maryland’s bioscience industry employed 51,705 people across 3,594 establishments in 2025, with an average annual wage of $158,224 — approximately twice the state’s private-sector average.
Maryland’s bioscience industry supports a diverse range of high-paying careers, from biopharmaceutical development and medical research to medical devices and bioscience distribution. Average annual wages range from approximately $121,000 in medical devices and equipment to nearly $233,000 in pharmaceuticals. The state’s largest bioscience subsector, research, testing and medical laboratories, employs more than 30,000 Marylanders at an average annual wage exceeding $145,000.
Maryland also ranks in the top 20 percent of states for academic bioscience research expenditures, bioscience R&D expenditures per capita and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. The state’s research institutions conducted nearly $2.9 billion in bioscience-related R&D in fiscal year 2024 and received nearly $2.2 billion in NIH funding in fiscal year 2025.
“Maryland is home to one of the nation’s most impressive concentrations of scientific talent, research institutions and innovative bioscience companies,” said Kelly Schulz, CEO of the Maryland Tech Council. “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.”
The Maryland findings are part of BIO’s national analysis of the impact of America’s bioscience industry. Nationwide, the industry supported more than 2.3 million jobs in 2025, with employment growing 7% since 2021 and average annual wages reaching $145,188.
Among the report’s additional findings for Maryland:
- Maryland’s nearly $2.9 billion in academic bioscience R&D expenditures represented $460 per resident, more than twice the national average of $203.
- Maryland institutions received $345 per capita in NIH funding in fiscal year 2025, more than three times the national average of $107.
- Maryland bioscience companies attracted nearly $4 billion in venture capital investment between 2021 and 2025.
- Maryland inventors were affiliated with 4,581 bioscience-related patents between 2021 and 2025.
The full report is available at BIO’s website, or download the Maryland Fact Sheet.
About the Maryland Tech Council
The Maryland Tech Council (MTC) is a collaborative community that is actively engaged in building strong technology and life science industries by supporting the efforts of our individual members. We are the largest technology and life sciences trade association in the state of Maryland, and we provide value by giving members a forum to learn, share, and connect. MTC brings the region’s community together into a single, united organization that empowers our members to achieve their business goals through advocacy, networking, and education. The vision for the Maryland Tech Council is to propel Maryland to become the number one innovation economy for life sciences and technology in the country. Follow us at mdtechcouncil.com, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.
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