Biopharma professionals seeking significant pay raises may benefit more from changing employers than staying with their current companies, according to the BioSpace 2026 U.S. Life Sciences Salary Report released on Mar. 19.
The findings are important for those working in the life sciences sector, as compensation remains a top concern amid a challenging job market. The report shows that while only 9% of full-time survey respondents received salary increases by switching employers, the most common increase reported was 10%. In contrast, those who received merit-based raises at their current jobs most often saw a 3% bump.
According to the report, three out of four respondents who changed employers received salary increases of at least 6%, compared to just over one in five who stayed put. At the high end, 5% of those who switched companies saw their salaries rise by 25%, and another 10% reported increases of at least 26%. Less than 1% of employees who stayed with their current employer and received merit-based raises experienced such large jumps.
The data suggests that moving from smaller organizations or startups to larger companies could be one reason for these substantial pay gains. Despite this trend, only a small percentage—9%—actually reported receiving an increase after changing jobs, indicating that switching does not guarantee higher pay.
Salary concerns remain prevalent among biopharma workers. In comments collected for the BioSpace Employment Outlook report, some respondents cited disparities and frustration over stagnant wages: “Higher ups get more money while those performing the task to run the business day to day get the brunt of less workers, more work, no rewards or no increase year over year,” one participant wrote. The same survey found that 68% believe they would need to change employers to achieve a satisfactory raise.
Average full-time salaries declined by 6% from $159,419 in the previous year to $149,945 in 2025 but remained above levels seen between 2021 and 2023. Still, most respondents (61%) said they did receive some form of pay increase last year—most commonly around 3%. Merit-based raises were cited as the main reason for these bumps (59.4%), followed by cost-of-living adjustments (24.4%) and companywide increases (23.9%).
Bonuses also played a role in overall compensation satisfaction; average bonus values rose by 24% from $28,357 in 2024 to $37,113 in 2025—the highest level in five years.
Looking ahead into this year’s outlook for salary growth, Chantal Dresner, Vice President of Marketing at BioSpace and overseer of the annual salary report since 2021 said: “Though there are hopes that the market will warm up this year, companies are choosing to mitigate risk and are spending cautiously, and that includes how they are paying their workforce.”
Dresner added: “The job market has given employers choice amongst the talent market, decreasing the incentive for offering significant salary increases and making larger offers.”
As companies continue cautious spending practices amid an employer-driven job market, biopharma professionals may need realistic expectations regarding future pay increases.
