Best states for a medical laboratory assistant

Q: What is the best state for medical laboratory assistants?

The best state to be a medical laboratory assistant is Washington based on medical laboratory assistant salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for medical laboratory assistants?

The highest paying state for medical laboratory assistants is Alabama based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for medical laboratory assistants?

The worst state for medical laboratory assistants is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

Quoted expert

Dr. Stacy Walz Ph.D

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It seems like medical laboratory assistants are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for medical laboratory assistants aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant medical laboratory assistant jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Washington is the best state in the country for medical laboratory assistant jobs.

Washington is the best state for jobs for medical laboratory assistants, and South Carolina is the worst. The most common pay in Washington is $41,757, while the median pay in South Carolina is $24,693.Washington is the best state, and Mililani Town is the city with the highest pay for medical laboratory assistants.

10 best states for medical laboratory assistants in 2026

1. Washington
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 1,941
Average annual salary: $41,757
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.4
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Washington
2. Alaska
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 186
Average annual salary: $44,976
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Alaska
3. Massachusetts
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 1,853
Average annual salary: $47,203
Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.07
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Massachusetts
4. Maryland
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 1,664
Average annual salary: $41,666
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Maryland
5. Utah
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 692
Average annual salary: $40,256
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Utah
6. Maine
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 354
Average annual salary: $37,552
Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Location Quotient:
1.41
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Maine
7. Hawaii
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 164
Average annual salary: $47,258
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Location Quotient:
1.04
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Hawaii
8. Iowa
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 524
Average annual salary: $41,109
Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
0.76
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Iowa
9. Connecticut
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 738
Average annual salary: $38,175
Lowest 10 percent earn: $30,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $47,000
Location Quotient:
1.18
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Connecticut
10. Oregon
Total medical laboratory assistant jobs: 632
Average annual salary: $42,038
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
0.81
Medical laboratory assistant jobs in Oregon

Medical laboratory assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a medical laboratory assistant

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

Detailed list of the best states for a medical laboratory assistant

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Washington	$41,757	$34,000	7,405,743	1,941
2	Alaska	$44,976	$39,000	739,795	186
3	Massachusetts	$47,203	$38,000	6,859,819	1,853
4	Maryland	$41,666	$32,000	6,052,177	1,664
5	Utah	$40,256	$32,000	3,101,833	692
6	Maine	$37,552	$31,000	1,335,907	354
7	Hawaii	$47,258	$40,000	1,427,538	164
8	Iowa	$41,109	$33,000	3,145,711	524
9	Connecticut	$38,175	$30,000	3,588,184	738
10	Oregon	$42,038	$34,000	4,142,776	632
11	Vermont	$36,334	$29,000	623,657	196
12	Ohio	$37,575	$29,000	11,658,609	1,994
13	Michigan	$39,514	$31,000	9,962,311	1,303
14	North Dakota	$35,059	$29,000	755,393	218
15	New Hampshire	$35,433	$28,000	1,342,795	459
16	Minnesota	$37,638	$30,000	5,576,606	1,195
17	New York	$36,094	$28,000	19,849,399	3,115
18	California	$37,880	$29,000	39,536,653	6,044
19	Rhode Island	$37,420	$30,000	1,059,639	166
20	Arizona	$33,860	$26,000	7,016,270	1,343
21	New Jersey	$35,453	$27,000	9,005,644	1,554
22	Nevada	$33,915	$26,000	2,998,039	410
23	Illinois	$35,563	$28,000	12,802,023	2,126
24	Idaho	$33,777	$27,000	1,716,943	309
25	Wisconsin	$32,943	$26,000	5,795,483	1,074
26	Texas	$34,718	$26,000	28,304,596	2,876
27	South Dakota	$31,503	$25,000	869,666	210
28	District of Columbia	$38,965	$30,000	693,972	196
29	New Mexico	$34,712	$27,000	2,088,070	238
30	Kansas	$33,942	$27,000	2,913,123	396
31	Nebraska	$31,143	$25,000	1,920,076	423
32	Colorado	$34,282	$27,000	5,607,154	938
33	Pennsylvania	$29,215	$23,000	12,805,537	2,507
34	Montana	$32,349	$26,000	1,050,493	180
35	Wyoming	$28,016	$22,000	579,315	137
36	Missouri	$30,272	$24,000	6,113,532	1,066
37	West Virginia	$25,860	$20,000	1,815,857	372
38	Kentucky	$28,812	$22,000	4,454,189	663
39	Oklahoma	$30,116	$23,000	3,930,864	410
40	Tennessee	$26,436	$20,000	6,715,984	1,260
41	Florida	$26,774	$20,000	20,984,400	3,070
42	Delaware	$29,956	$23,000	961,939	182
43	Indiana	$28,327	$22,000	6,666,818	1,100
44	Arkansas	$25,973	$20,000	3,004,279	512
45	Louisiana	$26,472	$20,000	4,684,333	561
46	Virginia	$29,476	$22,000	8,470,020	1,310
47	Georgia	$26,952	$21,000	10,429,379	1,672
48	Mississippi	$27,719	$21,000	2,984,100	285
49	North Carolina	$25,888	$20,000	10,273,419	1,610
50	Alabama	$23,572	$18,000	4,874,747	817
51	South Carolina	$24,693	$19,000	5,024,369	789

Highest paying states for medical laboratory assistants

Rank	State	Avg. Medical Laboratory Assistant Salary
1	Washington	$41,757
2	Alaska	$44,976
3	Massachusetts	$47,203
4	Maryland	$41,666
5	Utah	$40,256
6	Maine	$37,552
7	Hawaii	$47,258
8	Iowa	$41,109
9	Connecticut	$38,175
10	Oregon	$42,038
11	Vermont	$36,334
12	Ohio	$37,575
13	Michigan	$39,514
14	North Dakota	$35,059
15	New Hampshire	$35,433
16	Minnesota	$37,638
17	New York	$36,094
18	California	$37,880
19	Rhode Island	$37,420
20	Arizona	$33,860
21	New Jersey	$35,453
22	Nevada	$33,915
23	Illinois	$35,563
24	Idaho	$33,777
25	Wisconsin	$32,943
26	Texas	$34,718
27	South Dakota	$31,503
28	District of Columbia	$38,965
29	New Mexico	$34,712
30	Kansas	$33,942
31	Nebraska	$31,143
32	Colorado	$34,282
33	Pennsylvania	$29,215
34	Montana	$32,349
35	Wyoming	$28,016
36	Missouri	$30,272
37	West Virginia	$25,860
38	Kentucky	$28,812
39	Oklahoma	$30,116
40	Tennessee	$26,436
41	Florida	$26,774
42	Delaware	$29,956
43	Indiana	$28,327
44	Arkansas	$25,973
45	Louisiana	$26,472
46	Virginia	$29,476
47	Georgia	$26,952
48	Mississippi	$27,719
49	North Carolina	$25,888
50	Alabama	$23,572
51	South Carolina	$24,693

Expert opinions on the best states for medical laboratory assistants

Are there any particularly good places in the United States for medical laboratory assistants 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.

Medical laboratory assistant best states FAQs

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What is the worst state for medical laboratory assistants?

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Best states for Medical Laboratory Assistants

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total medical laboratory assistant jobs:	1,941
Average annual salary:	$41,757
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$34,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$50,000
Location Quotient:	1.4

Best states for a medical laboratory assistant

10 best states for medical laboratory assistants in 2026

1. Washington

2. Alaska

3. Massachusetts

4. Maryland

5. Utah

6. Maine

7. Hawaii

8. Iowa

9. Connecticut

10. Oregon