Best states for a laboratory associate

Q: What is the best state for laboratory associates?

The best state to be a laboratory associate is Alaska based on laboratory associate salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for laboratory associates?

The highest paying state for laboratory associates is Oklahoma based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for laboratory associates?

The worst state for laboratory associates is Oklahoma, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Dr. Stacy Walz Ph.D

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Laboratory associate opportunities vary in different parts of the country. In order to help you determine the best states for laboratory associates, we ranked all fifty states from best to worst for laboratory associates.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for laboratory associate jobs.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for laboratory associates.We found that the South is best for laboratory associates, and the Northeast is the worst. New Brunswick, NJ is the best city in the country for laboratory associate jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.

10 best states for laboratory associates in 2025

1. Alaska
Total laboratory associate jobs: 132
Average annual salary: $65,969
Lowest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
1.26
Laboratory associate jobs in Alaska
2. Massachusetts
Total laboratory associate jobs: 1,669
Average annual salary: $57,000
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Laboratory associate jobs in Massachusetts
3. New Hampshire
Total laboratory associate jobs: 317
Average annual salary: $53,255
Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Laboratory associate jobs in New Hampshire
4. New Jersey
Total laboratory associate jobs: 1,133
Average annual salary: $60,485
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000
Location Quotient:
1.14
Laboratory associate jobs in New Jersey
5. West Virginia
Total laboratory associate jobs: 276
Average annual salary: $52,012
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Laboratory associate jobs in West Virginia
6. New York
Total laboratory associate jobs: 2,200
Average annual salary: $54,431
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
1.36
Laboratory associate jobs in New York
7. Vermont
Total laboratory associate jobs: 146
Average annual salary: $48,850
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
1.51
Laboratory associate jobs in Vermont
8. Arizona
Total laboratory associate jobs: 889
Average annual salary: $50,385
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000
Location Quotient:
1.21
Laboratory associate jobs in Arizona
9. Maine
Total laboratory associate jobs: 284
Average annual salary: $47,397
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000
Location Quotient:
1.7
Laboratory associate jobs in Maine
10. Delaware
Total laboratory associate jobs: 154
Average annual salary: $54,691
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000
Location Quotient:
0.98
Laboratory associate jobs in Delaware

Laboratory associate jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a laboratory associate

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a laboratory associate

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Alaska	$65,969	$47,000	739,795	132
2	Massachusetts	$57,000	$37,000	6,859,819	1,669
3	New Hampshire	$53,255	$35,000	1,342,795	317
4	New Jersey	$60,485	$38,000	9,005,644	1,133
5	West Virginia	$52,012	$34,000	1,815,857	276
6	New York	$54,431	$34,000	19,849,399	2,200
7	Vermont	$48,850	$32,000	623,657	146
8	Arizona	$50,385	$32,000	7,016,270	889
9	Maine	$47,397	$31,000	1,335,907	284
10	Delaware	$54,691	$34,000	961,939	154
11	Connecticut	$50,656	$32,000	3,588,184	522
12	Rhode Island	$53,728	$34,000	1,059,639	137
13	Hawaii	$58,961	$46,000	1,427,538	115
14	California	$54,923	$35,000	39,536,653	3,667
15	Louisiana	$46,781	$29,000	4,684,333	478
16	Maryland	$51,389	$32,000	6,052,177	861
17	Nevada	$50,974	$33,000	2,998,039	210
18	District of Columbia	$56,424	$36,000	693,972	106
19	Florida	$44,447	$27,000	20,984,400	3,072
20	Washington	$48,309	$32,000	7,405,743	955
21	Arkansas	$44,652	$30,000	3,004,279	332
22	Pennsylvania	$45,122	$28,000	12,805,537	1,534
23	Wisconsin	$42,831	$29,000	5,795,483	793
24	Ohio	$44,165	$29,000	11,658,609	1,287
25	Michigan	$40,406	$26,000	9,962,311	1,277
26	Oregon	$47,719	$31,000	4,142,776	415
27	Illinois	$41,297	$28,000	12,802,023	1,740
28	Iowa	$39,428	$27,000	3,145,711	538
29	Minnesota	$41,747	$28,000	5,576,606	806
30	Nebraska	$42,096	$29,000	1,920,076	191
31	Kansas	$38,778	$26,000	2,913,123	418
32	Indiana	$37,161	$25,000	6,666,818	1,115
33	North Carolina	$41,631	$27,000	10,273,419	1,003
34	Virginia	$44,197	$28,000	8,470,020	0
35	Montana	$39,323	$28,000	1,050,493	139
36	South Dakota	$35,779	$25,000	869,666	171
37	North Dakota	$37,367	$26,000	755,393	116
38	Idaho	$37,372	$26,000	1,716,943	208
39	Mississippi	$37,827	$24,000	2,984,100	224
40	Texas	$38,330	$24,000	28,304,596	2,116
41	Tennessee	$37,744	$25,000	6,715,984	0
42	Kentucky	$35,361	$23,000	4,454,189	512
43	Colorado	$37,181	$26,000	5,607,154	680
44	Georgia	$35,980	$24,000	10,429,379	1,304
45	New Mexico	$37,941	$24,000	2,088,070	173
46	Alabama	$34,247	$22,000	4,874,747	575
47	Utah	$37,128	$25,000	3,101,833	0
48	Missouri	$36,077	$24,000	6,113,532	616
49	Wyoming	$36,207	$25,000	579,315	0
50	South Carolina	$34,476	$22,000	5,024,369	0
51	Oklahoma	$33,200	$22,000	3,930,864	306

Highest paying states for laboratory associates

Rank	State	Avg. Laboratory Associate Salary
1	Alaska	$65,969
2	Massachusetts	$57,000
3	New Hampshire	$53,255
4	New Jersey	$60,485
5	West Virginia	$52,012
6	New York	$54,431
7	Vermont	$48,850
8	Arizona	$50,385
9	Maine	$47,397
10	Delaware	$54,691
11	Connecticut	$50,656
12	Rhode Island	$53,728
13	Hawaii	$58,961
14	California	$54,923
15	Louisiana	$46,781
16	Maryland	$51,389
17	Nevada	$50,974
18	District of Columbia	$56,424
19	Florida	$44,447
20	Washington	$48,309
21	Arkansas	$44,652
22	Pennsylvania	$45,122
23	Wisconsin	$42,831
24	Ohio	$44,165
25	Michigan	$40,406
26	Oregon	$47,719
27	Illinois	$41,297
28	Iowa	$39,428
29	Minnesota	$41,747
30	Nebraska	$42,096
31	Kansas	$38,778
32	Indiana	$37,161
33	North Carolina	$41,631
34	Virginia	$44,197
35	Montana	$39,323
36	South Dakota	$35,779
37	North Dakota	$37,367
38	Idaho	$37,372
39	Mississippi	$37,827
40	Texas	$38,330
41	Tennessee	$37,744
42	Kentucky	$35,361
43	Colorado	$37,181
44	Georgia	$35,980
45	New Mexico	$37,941
46	Alabama	$34,247
47	Utah	$37,128
48	Missouri	$36,077
49	Wyoming	$36,207
50	South Carolina	$34,476
51	Oklahoma	$33,200

Expert opinions on the best states for laboratory associates

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for laboratory associates to find work opportunities?
Dr. Stacy Walz Ph.D
Department Chair, Assistant Dean for Special Projects, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Arkansas State University - Jonesboro
This all depends on what a graduate is looking for: urban vs. rural, fast-paced vs. slower-paced, larger facility vs. smaller facility, 24/7/365 vs. M-F 8-5, etc. There is something available for everyone in this country right now in the field of CLS.

Laboratory associate best states FAQs

What is the best state for laboratory associates?

What is the highest paying state for laboratory associates?

What is the worst state for laboratory associates?

Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.

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Laboratory Associate
Best states for Laboratory Associates

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total laboratory associate jobs:	132
Average annual salary:	$65,969
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$47,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$92,000
Location Quotient:	1.26

Best states for a laboratory associate

10 best states for laboratory associates in 2025

1. Alaska

2. Massachusetts

3. New Hampshire

4. New Jersey

5. West Virginia

6. New York

7. Vermont

8. Arizona

9. Maine

10. Delaware