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Job outlook for laboratory technicians in the United States
Laboratory technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected laboratory technician job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 2,700 new jobs for laboratory technicians are projected over the next decade.
Laboratory technician salaries have increased 7% for laboratory technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 201,541 laboratory technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 84,357 active laboratory technician job openings in the US.
The average laboratory technician salary is $40,038.
Are laboratory technician jobs in demand?
Laboratory technician job and salary trends over time
Laboratory technician jobs over time
Laboratory technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 201,541 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 207,287 | 0.06% |
| 2019 | 207,650 | 0.06% |
| 2018 | 204,571 | 0.06% |
| 2017 | 204,864 | 0.06% |
Average laboratory technician salary over time
Laboratory technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $40,038 | $19.25 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $38,950 | $18.73 | --0.7% |
| 2023 | $39,231 | $18.86 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $38,257 | $18.39 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $37,519 | $18.04 | --0.1% |
Laboratory technician jobs by state
Most common states for laboratory technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,279 | 33% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 434 | 32% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 184 | 30% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 207 | 28% |
| 5 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 365 | 27% |
| 6 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 777 | 25% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 217 | 25% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,320 | 24% |
| 9 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 1,265 | 21% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 162 | 21% |
| 11 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 205 | 20% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 190 | 20% |
| 13 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 139 | 20% |
| 14 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,290 | 19% |
| 15 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,094 | 19% |
| 16 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 567 | 19% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 1,899 | 18% |
| 18 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 1,758 | 18% |
| 19 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,610 | 18% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 330 | 18% |
Most common cities for laboratory technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lenexa | 9 | 17% | $35,558 |
| 2 | Boynton Beach | 11 | 15% | $34,423 |
| 3 | Johnson City | 9 | 13% | $36,628 |
| 4 | Newton | 9 | 10% | $46,206 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor | 11 | 9% | $41,332 |
| 6 | Cambridge | 9 | 8% | $46,139 |
| 7 | Baltimore | 20 | 3% | $44,362 |
| 8 | Boston | 17 | 3% | $46,160 |
| 9 | Miami | 13 | 3% | $34,221 |
| 10 | Indianapolis | 20 | 2% | $38,507 |
| 11 | Minneapolis | 10 | 2% | $42,289 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 9 | 2% | $35,964 |
| 13 | Los Angeles | 24 | 1% | $42,495 |
| 14 | Chicago | 21 | 1% | $42,863 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 20 | 1% | $36,830 |
| 16 | San Diego | 14 | 1% | $42,257 |
| 17 | Austin | 10 | 1% | $37,166 |
| 18 | Denver | 10 | 1% | $37,034 |
| 19 | Charlotte | 9 | 1% | $39,156 |
Laboratory Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of laboratory technician experts
Northern Michigan University
Ohio Dominican University
Northern Kentucky University
University of the Pacific
Northern Kentucky University
Southwestern College
Weber State University
College of Idaho
SUNY at Albany
University of Alabama in Huntsville
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Georgetown University Medical Center
Ohio University Southern
Utah Valley University
Medical University of South Carolina
Wake Forest University
University of Utah
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA
Assistant Professor / MLS Program DirectorNorthern Michigan University
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, And Treatment Professions
What general advice would you give to a Laboratory Technician?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: Experience. I have found through my time in the realm that an experienced lab tech is going to be highly sought after and henceforth will have optimal pay opportunities. As the word implies, experience can only be achieved through 'time in the lab' which means you have to put in your time to gather that resume boosting element, experience. Once that happens, then even more doors open up in the profession.
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: The skills that will be required in the lab tech milieu over the next 3-5 years are the same ones that are necessary now, which is what makes the lab tech profession so lucrative. Foundational laboratory skills are a must now and will be must in the future. Once the aspiring lab tech learns and masters the foundational work, such as lab math, pipetting, dilution schemes, titrating, proper glassware use and application, basic spectrophotometry, transformational weights and measures, microscopy, etc. then they'll be readily adaptable for employment in any laboratory setting.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Martin Renaldi MT (ASCP), MPA: I would highly recommend that the newly graduated lab tech does not limit themself to a specific location or a specific vocation. The places to work and the types of jobs available are nearly limitless. If one thinks outside of the box, outside of the mainstream lab tech opportunities, they'll find a whole host of other intriguing possibilities. So, do not limit yourself, the world is your oyster, .......so to speak.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Christopher Martin: If you are a new chemistry graduate beginning your career as a chemist, understand that you are no longer going to be studying chemistry just to take a test and talk about how someone may hypothetically do chemistry. You will be expected to apply the fundamentals you learned and actually do chemistry. You may need to call upon skills in classes and labs that you didn't expect to use, and you may be trained in a new area or using new instrumentation that you have not seen before. Different fields in chemistry call on different skills, but skills are transferrable and skills will be what makes you valuable.
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Isabelle Lagadic Ph.D.: I’ve met employers asking me if I could teach my students basic skills like “being on time”, “writing a proper email”, “clearly and carefully documenting their work”, “using critical thinking to stop a recording or an experiment when it is obvious that it is not working”. Those very basic skills that everyone takes for granted in addition of basic technical skills are going to become the most prevalent in the coming years. What’s scary is the collision between the inevitable advancement of Ai in this field and this lack of basic skills. It is difficult to train people on tomorrow’s skills if they don’t already master today’s skills.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Isabelle Lagadic Ph.D.: To expect a significant difference between the academic place and the workplace in terms of the work expectations, time management, independent work, having to take initiatives, etc. Many chemistry (or science majors in general) graduates think that their degree prepared them well for a job and are both disappointed and overwhelmed when they are confronted with the reality of the workplace. Not that starting at an entry level in this field is complicated, but because they haven’t been taught the skills, both technical and soft, to feel comfortable in the workplace.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jingbo Liu PhD: A chemist’s day-to-day tasks vary greatly depending on their specific role and field. However, everyday tasks include designing and conducting experiments, analyzing data, writing reports, and maintaining safety protocols in the laboratory. Someone entering the field might start as a laboratory assistant or technician, preparing samples, maintaining equipment, and assisting with experiments and research. They could also be involved in data analysis, using various software tools to interpret and visualize experimental results. Furthermore, they may participate in team meetings to discuss their findings and plan future research directions. It’s a dynamic and exciting field with plenty of opportunities for learning and growth.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Joseph Harrison: Chemists typically like using their problem-solving skills to advance science, but sometimes Chemists, especially in entry-level positions can be repetitive (i.e., doing the same analysis over and over again)
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Patrick Hare: Don’t just look for ‘chemist’ positions. A chemistry degree sets you up to do lots of different things under lots of different names. Once you get a job, keep networking (or if you haven’t done so, start)! Your first position won’t be your last, and having a group you can tap for help getting the next job or just figuring out problems that arise in the current one is very useful.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Patrick Hare: Facility with using and interpreting AI results is an obvious growing need. Many of those skills are just applied analytical and critical thinking. The trick will be to do the applying and keep them fresh. Understanding how the systems work will also be useful.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Daniel King: This is also going to vary dramatically based on the type of chemistry that someone does. Many people like understanding and/or discovering what is going on at a fundamental level, and chemistry provides that opportunity. While many chemists like working in a lab, some chemists do not like lab work, due to the strong smells, the potential health hazards, and/or the repetitiveness of some of the work. Many chemists like the opportunity to learn something new on a regular basis. Some chemists like the pay, which is often good relative to some other professions. The diversity of career paths is popular among chemists. Chemists can work at traditional chemical companies making new chemicals; they can work at pharmaceutical companies to develop drugs; they can work with materials, such as printing and building materials; they can work at cosmetics companies or in the food industry; they can work to understand the environment and/or to solve environmental problems. Many chemistry students might dislike the focus on math or the heavy workload, although this is probably less of an issue for professional chemists, as someone who has become a professional chemist has hopefully chosen a subdiscipline that aligns with their interests.
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
David Hecht Ph.D.: Not sure- with a solid chemistry bkg and training, graduates should be equipped to learn and adapt as needed. Soft skills are VERY important and need to be developed.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
David Hecht Ph.D.: Work to stay positive and have a 'can do' attitude. Be willing to take on new tasks, responsibilities and try to go the 'extra mile'. Don't be afraid to say you do not know how to do something, but are willing to learn.
Dr. Janice Thomas
Professor and Program DirectorWeber State University
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Laboratory Technician?
Dr. Janice Thomas: Medical Laboratory Technicians (MLTs) are an integral part of the healthcare team as seventy percent (70%) of diagnoses come from laboratory results. On a day-to-day basis, the duties of an MLT can include collecting and analyzing samples, maintaining laboratory equipment, and accurately recording results for medical providers to review and consider when diagnosing patients.
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Janice Thomas: Entering the field of Medical Laboratory Sciences is a wise choice, particularly now, due to the growing demand for healthcare services and the increasing technology in medical diagnostics. With an aging population and the continuous development of innovative medical tests and procedures, the need for skilled MLTs is more pronounced than ever. This profession not only offers job stability and opportunities for advancement but also the satisfaction of contributing to patient care and the well-being of the community.
What will help Laboratory Technicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Janice Thomas: Many MLTs appreciate the variety and dynamic nature of the work. They welcome the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge technology, and the sense of fulfillment that comes from playing an important role in patient care. The profession also offers a good balance of teamwork and individual responsibilities, along with diverse disciplines and career paths. But, like any profession, there are challenges. Some may find the work mentally demanding and stressful, particularly when dealing with urgent cases or critical results. Others may prefer more patient contact than the role typically provides. It's also important to note that the profession requires meticulous attention to detail and adherence to strict protocols, which can be taxing for some individuals.
What general advice would you give to a Laboratory Technician?
Bonnie Cantrell: Chemistry is the backbone to most protocols for the material, medical, and biological sciences.
Without chemistry, we would not know many of the things we know today. It will always be relevant in
helping change the scientific world as we know it. The advancements in science technology alone makes
chemistry today more exciting than ever. Just with balances from 1980's to now, we went from only
being able to weigh with counter balance weights to having a digital scale read accurately to 0.001
milligrams. Chemistry used to be more theoretical and only explainable from what we could make react
together. Now we have technology that can visualize the chemical composition and structure allowing
for us to create solutions to problems we could only dream of before. Whether you are wanting danger,
to save lives, or to help make this planet a better place to live, being a chemist can help you fuel your
passions.
What Laboratory Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bonnie Cantrell: When I ask students and faculty what they enjoy about being a chemist, their answers are
always related to enjoying the science. This includes getting to work with lasers, making drugs,
exploding things, setting things on fire, solving problems, explaining the unexplainable, and never
knowing what you are going to find out, but enjoying the adventure. There is a thrill to science that can
be coupled with any moral cause. Those that get to choose their research have even more freedom to
structure what they do to their passions. Making the world a better place and having fun while doing it
is a goal for a lot of scientists. Being a chemist allows thousands of people to do that every day making
chemistry a very rewarding career.
With any job it is usually the work load and/or regulations that make the job less enjoyable.
Working with chemicals can be exciting, but it can also be extremely dangerous to our health and those
around us. As worker safety became more of a focus for the government, the chemical industry changed
drastically with a focus on laboratory safety. This meant more regulations and documentation. Grants
are also extremely competitive and the review process on a manuscript is very time consuming. A
majority of advanced level chemists are forced into doing more paperwork and less hands-on laboratory
science as they gain more responsibilities. Essentially the whole reason they enjoyed doing science is
buried in paperwork.
While all chemists would like more time to do science, it is their mentees that really make it
worth it. There is a pride in being able to help someone else succeed that is seen on every professors'
face when their student gets into a great school, a great job, finally figures out that problem, etc. It is
the alumni coming back and talking about the professors that inspired them to be successful in some
way. This is what gets me out of bed in the morning. The feeling of being able to do more than I
physically can myself because I am in proxy mentoring hundreds of people every year to be the best
they can be. I can fail in my life, but still have a lasting legacy and positive impact through others. That is
what makes chemistry great.
What general advice would you give to a Laboratory Technician?
Dr. Kevin Francis: I am a firm believer that if you love your job you will never work a day in your life, so feel this
should not be the primary goal. Many of those I was in school with make triple or even more
than my salary but have expressed dissatisfaction with their jobs. Some have switched jobs
multiple times due to this dissatisfaction. At the same time, if you have invested in your
education and training you should at least make a living wage.
In Chemistry at least a Master's degree is needed for most decent paying jobs. I encourage
students not to fear graduate schools and remain confident. Apply to those offering intership
opportunities or other on the job trainings. Many of our graduate students complete these during
the summer. Many of the internships lead to good jobs in those companies upon graduation.
It is more important to enjoy your job though than to get paid a lot to do it.
Alan Chen Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Dept of Chemistry & the RNA Institute, University at AlbanySUNY at Albany
Chemistry
What general advice would you give to a Laboratory Technician?
Alan Chen Ph.D.: For entry-level chemistry jobs, by far the best preparation you can get is to do as much hands-on lab research as you can during your undergraduate training. This includes summer REU programs, mentored thesis research, volunteering in labs, summer internships, co-ops, etc. Hiring managers universally want to see not only what skills/assays/instruments you are familiar with, but also that you have real-world, problem solving experience that goes beyond the classroom and textbooks.
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Department of Biological Sciences
What skills stand out on Laboratory Technician resumes?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Good standing on biochemical concepts.
What soft skills should all Laboratory Technicians possess?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Planification.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Laboratory Technicians?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Pipetting, quantitative analysis, computer writing.
What skills will help Laboratory Technicians earn the most?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Commitment.
Brandi Sigmon Ph.D.
Academic Success Coordinator, Assistant Professor of PracticeUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln
Microbiology Program
What skills stand out on Laboratory Technician resumes?
Brandi Sigmon Ph.D.: For Microbiological Laboratory Technicians, I believe hands-on experience in laboratory settings will stand out on resumes. Companies hiring for these types of positions prefer candidates who have worked in lab settings because they will know how labs "work." For example, job candidates who have this experience should know how to follow directions in laboratory protocols, how to set up and conduct experiments, how to work as part of a team, and how to keep accurate records of your laboratory work. If someone applying for Microbiological Laboratory Technician positions can emphasize these skills on their resume, they will convey their trainability to future employers.
Ivica Labuda
Professor and DirectorGeorgetown University Medical Center
Department of Biochemistry Molecular and Cell Biology
What hard/technical skills are most important for Laboratory Technicians?
Ivica Labuda: The competitive nature of the industry means that strong technical skills are a must. Technical skills like a fairly deep knowledge of biology and chemistry, current industry best practices, and recent biotech developments are a prerequisite for success, as they give students the deep foundation and comprehension needed to make difficult project-specific decisions in manufacturing, regulatory, policy, or business issues.
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of InstructionOhio University Southern
Chemistry Department
What hard/technical skills are most important for Laboratory Technicians?
Kyle Kemats Ph.D.: As I mentioned in question 1, training/experience on various instruments is the most important for industry/research jobs. For teaching positions, experience with different pedagogical/education techniques will be helpful for a potential candidate.
Jim Price Ph.D.
Faculty MemberUtah Valley University
Biology Department
What soft skills should all Laboratory Technicians possess?
Jim Price Ph.D.: Soft skills of good communication practices, teamwork, and record-keeping would be very helpful.
Helen Martin
Associate Professor, Division DirectorMedical University of South Carolina
Division of Physician Assistant Studies
What skills will help Laboratory Technicians earn the most?
Helen Martin: 4-year degree in laboratory science.
Brian Mendenhall
Associate Director and Career CoachWake Forest University
Office of Personal and Career Development
What skills stand out on Laboratory Technician resumes?
Brian Mendenhall: Two things that stand out for me, regardless of whether the person is seeking employment in research or industry, are data analysis (Excel, Python, R) and presentation skills. Research specific skills would also include experimental design and specific relevant laboratory techniques & equipment experience.
What soft skills should all Laboratory Technicians possess?
Brian Mendenhall: In the past, the most important attributes have been leadership and problem-solving skills. If the pandemic has taught us anything, the most important attribute is the ability to work with others and get along in multiple virtual and in-person environments. The rest seem elementary and are all dependent on each other. To work well on a team, you need to problem-solve, both on the topic and on how to share information. To solve problems, you need to be analytical and quantitative. Certainly, to do this well, you need to communicate across diverse audiences and levels of understanding. The National Association of Colleges and Employers surveys employers on these priorities and updates the results frequently. (see below for your reference)
Ability to work in a team 81.0%
Problem-solving skills 79.0%
Analytical/quantitative skills 76.1%
Communication skills (verbal) 73.2%
Communication skills (written)
https://www.naceweb.org/about-us/press/the-key-attributes-employers-seek-on-college-graduates-resumes/
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.
Dale and Susan Poulter Endowed Chair in Biological Chemistry, Associate Chair of ChemistryUniversity of Utah
Department Of Chemistry
What skills stand out on Laboratory Technician resumes?
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.: The skills that stand out are research experience, characterization instrumentation experience, and more recently, data science experience and coding experience, as machine learning and AI become more and more important in chemistry.
What soft skills should all Laboratory Technicians possess?
Shelley Minteer Ph.D.: The most important soft skills are communication and people management skills. It is critical to be strong in both oral and written communication.