How To Become A Biological Technician: What It Is and Career Path

What is a biological technician and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Dr. Jodi Lancaster Ph.D.

A biological technician is responsible for executing laboratory duties and ensuring smooth running and precision. Your duties mainly focus on collating and readying samples, utilizing lab devices, and carrying out experiments and evaluations. Also, you will have to document or record every improvement made and sustain the documentations. Oftentimes, you may be required to operate in several research areas and aid medical research. This is done by giving new drugs and remedies to laboratory animals. Furthermore, you must prepare, sustain, and wash laboratory appliances and instruments like pipets, test tubes, among others. You are expected to put on safety gear while examining and handling specimens and observe for documentation.

You need either a bachelor's degree or an associate degree depending on the employer's choice to get this job. In addition, you should always display great observational, analytical, and interactive skills. You must be able to effectively operate technological devices. As a biological technician, you will earn an average of $40,517 per year or $19.48 per hour.

What general advice would you give to a biological technician?

Dr. Jodi Lancaster Ph.D.

Dean of the School of Sciences and Professor of Molecular Biology, Elizabethtown College

Graduates should be excited about the wide range of opportunities available! Recent graduates often need to obtain a few years of experience in the field beyond college to increase their record of competency with common laboratory technique. Recent graduates are mostly eligible for research technician I or laboratory scientist I positions. Graduates should expect to continue learning and developing their skills at the bench and in written and oral communication. Ask your employer whether they have a program to support you in earning a Master's degree.

ScoreBiological TechnicianUS Average

Salary

3.4

Avg. Salary $43,572

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 9%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 2.30%

Asian 12.64%

Black or African American 10.67%

Hispanic or Latino 15.03%

Unknown 5.99%

White 53.37%

Gender

female 46.84%

male 53.16%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

7.8

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.1

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a biological technician

Explore biological technician education requirements

Most common biological technician degrees

Bachelor's

78.3 %

Associate

10.5 %

Master's

7.4 %

Start to develop specific biological technician skills

Skills	Percentages
GPS	10.30%
Lab Equipment	9.43%
Data Collection	6.34%
PCR	5.65%
GLP	5.36%

Complete relevant biological technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New biological technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a biological technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real biological technician resumes.

Research biological technician duties and responsibilities

Identify owl species by sight and sound prompt using hoot flute and reed caller.
Back sprays, ATV, and boom sprays are used and maintain in this project.
Maintain backpack and ATV herbicides equipment.
Help harvest walleyes from earthen ponds.

Prepare your biological technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your biological technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a biological technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable biological technician resume templates

Build a professional biological technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your biological technician resume.