SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-4021.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $40,330 | $3,361 | $776 | $19.39 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $48,130 | $4,011 | $926 | $23.14 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $57,510 | $4,792 | $1,106 | $27.65 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $71,520 | $5,960 | $1,375 | $34.39 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $84,940 | $7,078 | $1,633 | $40.84 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Biological Technicians is $57,510, which is 13% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 43 by median pay. With 69,620 jobs, it makes up about 4.5 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Biological Technicians pay by state
The highest median pay was in California ($71,440), New Jersey ($66,040) and District of Columbia ($64,770). The lowest was in South Dakota ($41,300), Idaho ($42,130) and Guam ($44,950). The most jobs were in California (9,210), Massachusetts (8,430) and New York (5,050). The occupation is most concentrated in Massachusetts, where its share of all jobs is 5.2 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 9,210 | $71,440 | $78,170 | $34.34 |
| New Jersey | 1,290 | $66,040 | $70,010 | $31.75 |
| District of Columbia | 210 | $64,770 | $61,520 | $31.14 |
| Connecticut | 650 | $62,360 | $67,040 | $29.98 |
| Massachusetts | 8,430 | $62,070 | $67,420 | $29.84 |
| North Carolina | 2,460 | $61,720 | $60,370 | $29.67 |
| New York | 5,050 | $61,210 | $60,960 | $29.43 |
| Washington | 3,210 | $60,800 | $60,770 | $29.23 |
| Maine | 510 | $60,160 | $59,680 | $28.92 |
| Colorado | 1,990 | $59,400 | $63,180 | $28.56 |
| Indiana | 1,020 | $58,790 | $63,350 | $28.26 |
| Delaware | 180 | $58,550 | $59,440 | $28.15 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $56,930 | $58,680 | $27.37 |
| Alaska | 410 | $56,470 | $58,040 | $27.15 |
| Illinois | 790 | $55,790 | $56,790 | $26.82 |
| New Hampshire | 240 | $55,540 | $57,870 | $26.70 |
| North Dakota | 250 | $55,330 | $56,250 | $26.60 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,820 | $54,950 | $59,630 | $26.42 |
| Virginia | 1,820 | $53,360 | $57,850 | $25.65 |
| Arizona | 830 | $53,290 | $59,050 | $25.62 |
| South Carolina | 550 | $53,040 | $54,730 | $25.50 |
| Utah | 710 | $52,960 | $57,850 | $25.46 |
| Maryland | 3,470 | $52,900 | $59,080 | $25.44 |
| Georgia | 860 | $52,420 | $55,190 | $25.20 |
| Oregon | 1,590 | $52,190 | $55,920 | $25.09 |
| Wisconsin | 1,800 | $51,750 | $55,120 | $24.88 |
| Nevada | 280 | $51,680 | $54,100 | $24.85 |
| Kansas | 480 | $51,630 | $58,460 | $24.82 |
| West Virginia | 100 | $51,440 | $57,650 | $24.73 |
| Vermont | 220 | $51,190 | $54,670 | $24.61 |
| Ohio | 2,240 | $51,080 | $54,910 | $24.56 |
| Michigan | 1,160 | $51,070 | $52,300 | $24.55 |
| Tennessee | 1,240 | $50,840 | $57,910 | $24.44 |
| Missouri | 620 | $50,640 | $56,470 | $24.35 |
| Texas | 2,730 | $50,130 | $52,470 | $24.10 |
| Montana | 430 | $49,920 | $52,370 | $24.00 |
| New Mexico | 140 | $49,570 | $51,640 | $23.83 |
| Alabama | 270 | $49,220 | $48,940 | $23.66 |
| Kentucky | 260 | $48,910 | $52,530 | $23.52 |
| Hawaii | 830 | $48,770 | $49,080 | $23.45 |
| Florida | 3,170 | $48,700 | $52,420 | $23.41 |
| Nebraska | 600 | $48,220 | $51,460 | $23.18 |
| Minnesota | 1,400 | $48,130 | $53,270 | $23.14 |
| Iowa | 800 | $48,050 | $54,470 | $23.10 |
| Oklahoma | 360 | $47,850 | $51,490 | $23.01 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $47,310 | $49,770 | $22.74 |
| Arkansas | 420 | $46,930 | $51,030 | $22.56 |
| Puerto Rico | 670 | $46,630 | $47,010 | $22.42 |
| Wyoming | 190 | $46,480 | $51,010 | $22.35 |
| Rhode Island | 140 | $45,530 | $57,740 | $21.89 |
| Guam | 90 | $44,950 | $47,220 | $21.61 |
| Idaho | 450 | $42,130 | $45,870 | $20.25 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $41,300 | $46,460 | $19.86 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Social Science Research Assistants$61,990 a year
- Occupational Health and Safety Technicians$61,560 a year
- Chemical Technicians$60,390 a year
- Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health$55,090 a year
- Forest and Conservation Technicians$54,560 a year
- Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians$53,350 a year
Common questions
How much do Biological Technicians earn in the United States?
The median pay was $57,510 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $40,330 and the highest-paid 10% more than $84,940.
How many people work as Biological Technicians?
About 69,620 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.