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Lead clinical laboratory scientist salary
Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary
$84,667
Average Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist Salary
The Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist earns an average salary of $84,667 annually, which translates to approximately $41 per hour. This salary can vary significantly based on experience, location, and the specific healthcare organization. For instance, those with several years of experience may command higher salaries, reflecting the critical nature of their work in diagnostic accuracy and patient care.
Highest Paying States and Cities
In terms of geography, states like California and New York often offer higher compensation due to their cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. Major cities such as Los Angeles and New York City consistently rank among the highest-paying locations for this role, presenting lucrative opportunities for those seeking advancement in their careers.
Understanding Salary Influences
Factors influencing salary include the type of laboratory, certifications held, and the complexity of tests performed. Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientists often oversee teams, which can further enhance their earning potential.
Explore Your Opportunities
As the demand for skilled laboratory professionals continues to rise, a career as a Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist offers not only competitive pay but also the chance to make a significant impact in healthcare.
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Where can a Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist earn more?
Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary by state
The average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary in California, Rhode Island, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary states are Nebraska, South Dakota, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for lead clinical laboratory scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $114,152 | $54.88 |
| 2 | Montana | $85,710 | $41.21 |
| 3 | Nevada | $89,899 | $43.22 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $100,194 | $48.17 |
| 5 | Alaska | $86,218 | $41.45 |
| 6 | Rhode Island | $100,461 | $48.30 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $92,064 | $44.26 |
| 8 | Maine | $85,875 | $41.29 |
| 9 | Michigan | $80,174 | $38.55 |
| 10 | Delaware | $87,599 | $42.11 |
| 11 | Tennessee | $82,434 | $39.63 |
| 12 | New York | $81,502 | $39.18 |
| 13 | North Carolina | $80,389 | $38.65 |
| 14 | Hawaii | $89,532 | $43.04 |
| 15 | Indiana | $83,484 | $40.14 |
| 16 | Oregon | $81,162 | $39.02 |
| 17 | Illinois | $82,708 | $39.76 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $77,653 | $37.33 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $80,639 | $38.77 |
| 20 | Arizona | $79,630 | $38.28 |
| 21 | Maryland | $78,417 | $37.70 |
| 22 | Ohio | $78,746 | $37.86 |
| 23 | Washington | $76,053 | $36.56 |
| 24 | Idaho | $70,735 | $34.01 |
| 25 | Arkansas | $68,806 | $33.08 |
| 26 | Minnesota | $73,581 | $35.38 |
| 27 | Vermont | $72,251 | $34.74 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $71,522 | $34.39 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | $68,127 | $32.75 |
| 30 | New Mexico | $64,897 | $31.20 |
| 31 | Kansas | $59,571 | $28.64 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $56,773 | $27.29 |
| 33 | New Hampshire | $70,775 | $34.03 |
| 34 | Virginia | $67,063 | $32.24 |
| 35 | Missouri | $67,246 | $32.33 |
| 36 | Florida | $67,068 | $32.24 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $67,028 | $32.23 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $66,734 | $32.08 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $72,070 | $34.65 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $62,453 | $30.03 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $56,938 | $27.37 |
| 42 | North Dakota | $52,564 | $25.27 |
| 43 | Georgia | $63,713 | $30.63 |
| 44 | Alabama | $62,062 | $29.84 |
| 45 | Texas | $60,320 | $29.00 |
| 46 | Iowa | $57,222 | $27.51 |
| 47 | Colorado | $60,517 | $29.09 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $58,123 | $27.94 |
| 49 | Utah | $49,419 | $23.76 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $56,112 | $26.98 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $52,776 | $25.37 |
Highest paying cities for lead clinical laboratory scientists
The highest-paying cities for lead clinical laboratory scientists are San Francisco, CA, Reno, NV, and Naperville, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $126,014 | $60.58 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $94,878 | $45.61 |
| 3 | Naperville, IL | $82,694 | $39.76 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $81,864 | $39.36 |
| 5 | Bend, OR | $80,513 | $38.71 |
| 6 | Fairbanks, AK | $80,348 | $38.63 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $79,813 | $38.37 |
| 8 | Saint Louis, MO | $68,369 | $32.87 |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $65,038 | $31.27 |
| 10 | New Braunfels, TX | $60,871 | $29.26 |
Lead clinical laboratory scientist salary details
A lead clinical laboratory scientist's salary ranges from $53,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $132,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a lead clinical laboratory scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $132,000 | $11,000 | $63 |
| 75th Percentile | $107,000 | $8,917 | $51 |
| Average | $84,667 | $7,056 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
Highest paying lead clinical laboratory scientist jobs
The highest paying types of lead clinical laboratory scientists are medical science liaison, principal scientist, and senior scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHD Researcher | $51,634 | $4,303 | $24.82 | 19,736 |
| Researcher | $67,145 | $5,595 | $32.28 | 30,498 |
| Fellow | $66,364 | $5,530 | $31.91 | 7,459 |
| Doctoral Fellow | $53,366 | $4,447 | $25.66 | 22,661 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | $57,587 | $4,799 | $27.69 | 18,983 |
Top companies hiring lead clinical laboratory scientists now:
Which companies pay lead clinical laboratory scientists the most?
Lead clinical laboratory scientist salaries at Edward Hospital & Health Services and Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary at companies like Dignity Health and Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Edward Hospital & Health Services | $111,825 | $53.76 |
| 2 | Pioneers Memorial Healthcare District | $108,404 | $52.12 |
| 3 | Dignity Health | $108,013 | $51.93 |
| 4 | Methodist Hospital Of Henderson, Kentucky | $106,929 | $51.41 |
| 5 | Sierra Nevada Home Care | $106,587 | $51.24 |
| 6 | Scripps Health | $106,029 | $50.98 |
| 7 | Madera Community Hospital | $105,741 | $50.84 |
| 8 | Sutter Health | $100,640 | $48.38 |
| 9 | Northwell Health | $100,127 | $48.14 |
| 10 | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | $99,659 | $47.91 |
| 11 | Sharp HealthCare | $99,230 | $47.71 |
| 12 | Tenet Healthcare | $99,087 | $47.64 |
| 13 | Providence Health & Services | $98,953 | $47.57 |
| 14 | Pfizer | $95,615 | $45.97 |
| 15 | Memorial Hospital Of Gardena | $95,492 | $45.91 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $95,145 | $45.74 |
| 17 | St. Croix Regional Medical Center | $93,711 | $45.05 |
| 18 | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $93,510 | $44.96 |
| 19 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $92,726 | $44.58 |
| 20 | Prime Healthcare | $92,080 | $44.27 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Lead clinical laboratory scientist salary trends
The average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary has risen by $14,230 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average lead clinical laboratory scientist earned $70,437 annually, but today, they earn $84,667 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for lead clinical laboratory scientists over the last decade.
Compare lead clinical laboratory scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average lead clinical laboratory scientist salary over time
Compare lead clinical laboratory scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Lead clinical laboratory scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,700 | $40.71 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $82,200 | $39.50 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $78,500 | $37.73 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | $76,000 | $36.52 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $74,500 | $35.82 | -2.1% |
Recently added lead clinical laboratory scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sutter Health | Clinical Laboratory Scientist Lead | Santa Clara, CA | 06/28/2025 | $153,081 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Lead Clinical Lab Scientist | Orlando, FL | 06/24/2025 | $102,900 |
| Dignity Health | Clinical Laboratory Scientist Lead | Long Beach, CA | 06/22/2025 | $107,355 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist | San Diego, CA | 06/20/2025 | $134,000 |
| Billiontoone | Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS), Prenatal | Union City, CA | 06/18/2025 | $181,360 |
| Department of Veterans Affairs | Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Detroit, MI | 06/14/2025 | $127,943 |
| Emanate Health Foothill Presbyterian Hospital | Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist--Days-FPH | Glendora, CA | 06/13/2025 | $103,411 |
| Good Samaritan Hospital | Clinical Lab Scientist Lead | San Jose, CA | 05/31/2025 | $150,055 |
| El Camino Hospital | CLS Lead--Days-Clinical Laboratory MV | Mountain View, CA | 05/28/2025 | $150,765 |
| Billiontoone | Lead Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS), Prenatal | Union City, CA | 05/26/2025 | $151,141 |
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