COLUMBUS, Ohio (October 28, 2026) – Ohio’s bioscience industry grew employment by 9.9 percent from 2021 through 2025, outpacing the 7.0 percent growth of the national bioscience industry and the 5.5 percent growth of Ohio’s private sector overall, according to a new state profile in The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions, released today by TEConomy Partners, LLC, the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA).
The Ohio Life Sciences Association (OLS) and the Ohio Life Sciences Institute (OLSI) said the findings confirm that life sciences is a growing, high-wage pillar of Ohio’s economy.
Ohio’s bioscience industry is growing faster than the nation, paying wages 73 percent above the state’s private-sector average, and drawing on a research base that other states envy,” said Eddie Pauline, President and CEO of OLS and OLSI. “The data also tell us where to focus. If we build the capital, talent and lab infrastructure that Ohio’s startups need, the companies born from our $2.4 billion in university research can scale right here at home.
Key findings for Ohio
- Jobs and employers: The industry reached 66,197 jobs across 5,172 business establishments in 2025. Nationally, Ohio ranks in the top fifth for establishments.
- High-wage careers: The average annual bioscience wage was $117,206, 73 percent higher than Ohio’s private-sector average of $67,920. Bioscience wages rose 20 percent from 2021 to 2025, compared with 16 percent nationally.
- Fastest-growing subsectors: Pharmaceutical employment grew 19.4 percent (5.4 percent nationally), and research, testing and medical laboratories grew 15.6 percent (8.1 percent nationally). Medical devices and equipment grew 6.0 percent (1.9 percent nationally). Bioscience-related distribution remains the largest subsector at 27,931 jobs, with an above-average employment concentration.
- Research strength: Ohio universities conducted $2.4 billion in bioscience-related R&D in FY 2024, and Ohio institutions received $1.0 billion in NIH funding in FY 2025. Both rank in the top fifth nationally. Bioscience accounts for 69 percent of Ohio’s academic R&D, compared with 63 percent nationally.
- Innovation output: Ohio inventors were affiliated with 7,021 bioscience-related patents from 2021 through 2025, placing Ohio in the top national quintile. Medical and surgical devices account for 4,989 of them.
- Investment: Bioscience companies attracted $5.7 billion in venture capital from 2021 through 2025, placing Ohio in the second national quintile.
- Across the board: Ohio ranks in the top three national quintiles on all ten metrics in the profile.
Opportunities to build on
The report also highlights areas where Ohio can do more. The state’s bioscience employment concentration (location quotient of 0.80) remains below the national average, and NIH funding per capita ($85) trails the national figure ($107). Annual bioscience venture investment in Ohio declined from $2.0 billion in 2021 to $457 million in 2025. Average bioscience wages in Ohio, while well above the state’s private-sector average, remain below the national bioscience average of $145,188.
OLS and OLSI will use the report’s findings to inform their work to convene Ohio’s life sciences community, advocate with state and federal policymakers, and accelerate the growth of Ohio companies.
The Ohio state profile and the full national report are available HERE.
If you want to check out the full report, click HERE.
About the report
The U.S. Bioscience Economy: Advancing Innovation and Strengthening States and Regions was prepared by TEConomy Partners, LLC for BIO and CSBA. Data sources include the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (enhanced by Lightcast), the National Science Foundation Higher Education R&D Survey, NIH RePORT, PitchBook Data, Inc., and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office data analyzed through Clarivate Derwent. State rankings are expressed as quintiles, where I is the top quintile.
About OLS and OLSI
The Ohio Life Sciences Association (OLS) and the Ohio Life Sciences Institute (OLSI) are statewide nonprofit organizations representing more than 300 member organizations across biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, digital health and advanced manufacturing. Driving Innovation and Economic Growth, OLS and OLSI convene, advocate for and accelerate Ohio’s life sciences community. Learn more at ohiolifesciences.org.
Media Contact: Natalie Monroe, Director Integrated Marketing & Operations, Ohio Life Sciences nmonroe@ohiolifesciences.org | 614.406.9297
