Updated February 6, 2023

Average Laboratory Assistant Salary

$16.43hourly

$34,168 yearly

Entry level Salary
$26,000 yearly

How much does a Laboratory Assistant make?

Laboratory assistants make $34,168 per year on average, or $16.43 per hour, in the United States. Laboratory assistants on the lower end of that spectrum, the bottom 10% to be exact, make roughly $26,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $44,000.

Location impacts how much a laboratory assistant can expect to make. Laboratory assistants make the most in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Alaska, Hawaii, and New Jersey.

Highest Paying States For Laboratory Assistants

If both location and money are important to you, then you might want to check out moving to Massachusetts, Connecticut and Alaska, as these three states offer the highest salaries throughout the U.S. for laboratory assistants. Quite opposite of that list is the lowest paying states, which are Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
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Average Salary:

Laboratory Assistant average salary by State

RankStateAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Massachusetts$43,536$20.931,798
2Vermont$37,699$18.12168
3Maine$36,793$17.69316
4Pennsylvania$36,313$17.462,164
5Connecticut$41,912$20.15538
6New Jersey$38,426$18.471,563
7Alaska$39,817$19.14145
8Rhode Island$37,214$17.89204
9Kentucky$36,559$17.58581
10New Hampshire$34,226$16.45378
11Michigan$33,402$16.061,689
12New York$35,792$17.213,079
13North Dakota$34,208$16.45163
14Iowa$33,619$16.16657
15Ohio$33,484$16.101,832
16Minnesota$35,069$16.861,079
17Delaware$37,374$17.97171
18Wisconsin$33,318$16.02936
19Washington$35,184$16.921,158
20South Dakota$32,142$15.45198
21Hawaii$39,630$19.05122
22Oregon$34,737$16.70615
23California$37,358$17.963,989
24West Virginia$31,388$15.09278
25Montana$33,368$16.04180
26Indiana$31,427$15.111,152
27North Carolina$31,560$15.171,610
28New Mexico$32,696$15.72281
29District of Columbia$37,061$17.82119
30Illinois$33,288$16.001,812
31Tennessee$29,265$14.071,098
32Virginia$34,744$16.701,267
33Maryland$33,521$16.12968
34Kansas$30,192$14.52483
35Arizona$29,289$14.081,137
36Idaho$30,874$14.84259
37South Carolina$28,733$13.81830
38Nevada$32,002$15.39
39Colorado$31,978$15.37837
40Wyoming$30,397$14.6178
41Missouri$30,232$14.53818
42Louisiana$27,916$13.42545
43Nebraska$30,076$14.46273
44Florida$25,228$12.133,402
45Utah$29,018$13.95411
46Mississippi$26,727$12.85323
47Georgia$27,990$13.461,491
48Texas$26,921$12.943,119
49Alabama$26,545$12.76623
50Arkansas$25,704$12.36368
51Oklahoma$25,720$12.37439

Highest Paying Cities For Laboratory Assistants

RankCityAvg. SalaryHourly RateJob Count
1Boston, MA$43,573$20.9513
2Anchorage, AK$39,976$19.223
3Lakewood, NJ$38,282$18.40
4San Francisco, CA$37,949$18.2412
5Burlington, VT$37,672$18.11
6Portland, ME$36,851$17.72
7Philadelphia, PA$36,546$17.577
8New York, NY$35,766$17.208
9Bellingham, WA$35,490$17.062
10Saint Paul, MN$35,086$16.876
11Springfield, OR$34,749$16.715
12Rochester, NH$34,296$16.491
13Cedar Rapids, IA$33,886$16.298
14Eau Claire, WI$33,689$16.20
15Baltimore, MD$33,627$16.1714

Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:

  1. Boston, MA
  2. Anchorage, AK
  3. Lakewood, NJ
  4. San Francisco, CA
  5. Burlington, VT

Laboratory Assistants Salary Details

Average Laboratory Assistant Salary Graph
Average Laboratory Assistant Salary Graph, Trends, and Summary

What is a Laboratory Assistant's Salary?

PercentileAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly Rate
90th Percentile$44,000$3,667$21
75th Percentile$39,000$3,250$19
Average$34,168$2,847$16
25th Percentile$29,000$2,417$14
10th Percentile$26,000$2,167$13

Highest Paying Types of Laboratory Assistants

Job TitleAnnual SalaryMonthly SalaryHourly RateJob Openings
Medical Laboratory Technologist Internship$37,088$3,091$17.83169,421
Clinical Laboratory Technician$50,756$4,230$24.40119,050
Research Laboratory Technician$38,308$3,192$18.4286,476
Medical Laboratory Technician$51,780$4,315$24.8988,721
Laboratory Coordinator$52,690$4,391$25.3364,914
Laboratory Internship$35,305$2,942$16.9790,970

Which Companies Pay Laboratory Assistants The Most?

According to our most recent salary estimates, UST Global and Massasoit Community College are the highest paying companies for laboratory assistants.

Laboratory Assistant Pay Trends

Average Laboratory Assistant Salary Over Time

Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

    Laboratory Assistant Salary By Year

    YearAvg. SalaryHourly Rate% Change
    2023$34,200$16.43+2.7%
    2022$33,200$15.98-0.7%
    2021$33,500$16.10+2.5%
    2020$32,600$15.70+1.9%
    2019$32,000$15.39-0.1%

    Recently Added Laboratory Assistant Salaries

    CompanyJobLocationDate AddedSalary
    Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & TelecomLaboratory AssistantMobile, AL11/30/2022$37,566
    Sanford HealthLaboratory Assistant-Sanford Health Blood MobileSioux Falls, SD11/29/2022$39,653
    Kelly ServicesLab AssistantMobile, AL11/28/2022$37,566
    Sanford HealthLaboratory Assistant-PRN-DaysValley City, ND11/23/2022$32,349
    State of Connecticut, Department of Administrative ServicesLaboratory Assistant Hour)Meriden, CT11/23/2022$43,753
    Health Alliance of Hudson ValleyLab AssistantValhalla, NY11/23/2022$49,295
    MakesyLaboratory AssistantIrvine, CA11/23/2022$41,740
    MakesyLaboratory AssistantIrvine, CA11/23/2022$41,740
    Gus Perdikakis AssociatesLaboratory AssistantBoston, MA11/22/2022$43,827
    Kelly Science, Engineering, Technology & TelecomLaboratory AssistantOverland Park, KS11/22/2022$35,479

    Laboratory Assistant Salaries FAQs

    What State Pays Laboratory Assistants The Most?

    Massachusetts pays Laboratory Assistants the most in the United States, with an average salary of $43,536 per year, or $20.93 per hour.

    How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Laboratory Assistant?

    You know if you are being paid fairly as a Laboratory Assistant if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in Connecticut you should be paid close to $41,912 per year.

    What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Laboratory Assistant?

    A good starting salary for a laboratory assistant is $26,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a laboratory assistant in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for laboratory assistants is $33,031, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a laboratory assistant can vary by state.

    How Much Do Lab Workers Make?

    Lab workers make around $54,000 a year or $26 per hour. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, lab workers (commonly also called clinical laboratory technologists or medical laboratory scientists) can earn more than $83,700.

    How Much Do Laboratory Assistants Make?

    Laboratory assistants make about $33,000 a year. This average salary ranges between $27,000 and $39,000 in a year, mainly on experience and education levels.

    While laboratory assistants are typically only required to hold a minimum of a high school diploma or GED, they will earn more if they have completed some additional education. This achievement can be through a year vocational school program or a traditional associate's or bachelor's degree program.

    Is A Lab Assistant A Good Job?

    Yes, being a laboratory assistant is a good job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, lab assistant and technician jobs will continue to experience significant growth soon.

    With a 13 percent increase in demand for clinical and medical laboratory technicians, it is a great field to pursue in healthcare. Becoming a laboratory assistant is an easy way into the healthcare field, with low entry-level requirements and a high ability to find well-paying jobs and progress.

    Search For Laboratory Assistant Jobs