Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Medical laboratory assistant salary
Average medical laboratory assistant salary
$16.67
Average Medical Laboratory Assistant Salary
The average salary for a Medical Laboratory Assistant in the United States is approximately $34,673 per year. This figure can vary based on geographic location, experience level, and specific employer. For instance, medical laboratory assistants in urban areas may earn more than those in rural settings due to demand and cost of living differences.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level positions typically start at around $16.67 per hour, while those with several years of experience can command higher wages, reflecting their expertise and contributions to laboratory operations.
Top-Paying States
States like California and New York often offer the highest salaries for medical laboratory assistants, influenced by the concentration of healthcare facilities and ongoing demand for skilled professionals in these regions.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With additional training or certifications, medical laboratory assistants can advance to roles such as laboratory technologist or supervisor, leading to higher earnings and broader responsibilities.
Let Zippi find your next medical laboratory assistant job
Let Zippi find your next medical laboratory assistant job
Where can a Medical Laboratory Assistant earn more?
Medical laboratory assistant salaries by experience level
Medical laboratory assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average medical laboratory assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for medical laboratory assistants are Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Alaska. The lowest average medical laboratory assistant salary states are Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for medical laboratory assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $41,757 | $20.08 |
| 2 | Alaska | $44,976 | $21.62 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $47,203 | $22.69 |
| 4 | Maryland | $41,666 | $20.03 |
| 5 | Utah | $40,256 | $19.35 |
| 6 | Maine | $37,552 | $18.05 |
| 7 | Hawaii | $47,258 | $22.72 |
| 8 | Iowa | $41,109 | $19.76 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $38,175 | $18.35 |
| 10 | Oregon | $42,038 | $20.21 |
| 11 | Vermont | $36,334 | $17.47 |
| 12 | Ohio | $37,575 | $18.06 |
| 13 | Michigan | $39,514 | $19.00 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $35,059 | $16.86 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $35,433 | $17.04 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $37,638 | $18.10 |
| 17 | New York | $36,094 | $17.35 |
| 18 | California | $37,880 | $18.21 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $37,420 | $17.99 |
| 20 | Arizona | $33,860 | $16.28 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $35,453 | $17.04 |
| 22 | Nevada | $33,915 | $16.31 |
| 23 | Illinois | $35,563 | $17.10 |
| 24 | Idaho | $33,777 | $16.24 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $32,943 | $15.84 |
| 26 | Texas | $34,718 | $16.69 |
| 27 | South Dakota | $31,503 | $15.15 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $38,965 | $18.73 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $34,712 | $16.69 |
| 30 | Kansas | $33,942 | $16.32 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $31,143 | $14.97 |
| 32 | Colorado | $34,282 | $16.48 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $29,215 | $14.05 |
| 34 | Montana | $32,349 | $15.55 |
| 35 | Wyoming | $28,016 | $13.47 |
| 36 | Missouri | $30,272 | $14.55 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $25,860 | $12.43 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $28,812 | $13.85 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $30,116 | $14.48 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $26,436 | $12.71 |
| 41 | Florida | $26,774 | $12.87 |
| 42 | Delaware | $29,956 | $14.40 |
| 43 | Indiana | $28,327 | $13.62 |
| 44 | Arkansas | $25,973 | $12.49 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $26,472 | $12.73 |
| 46 | Virginia | $29,476 | $14.17 |
| 47 | Georgia | $26,952 | $12.96 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $27,719 | $13.33 |
| 49 | North Carolina | $25,888 | $12.45 |
| 50 | Alabama | $23,572 | $11.33 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $24,693 | $11.87 |
Highest paying cities for medical laboratory assistants
The highest-paying cities for medical laboratory assistants are Eugene, OR, Detroit, MI, and Torrance, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eugene, OR | $42,220 | $20.30 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $39,598 | $19.04 |
| 3 | Torrance, CA | $37,941 | $18.24 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $37,624 | $18.09 |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $36,922 | $17.75 |
| 6 | Elizabeth, NJ | $35,505 | $17.07 |
| 7 | Amarillo, TX | $35,482 | $17.06 |
| 8 | Fargo, ND | $35,149 | $16.90 |
| 9 | Las Cruces, NM | $34,959 | $16.81 |
| 10 | Springfield, IL | $34,408 | $16.54 |
| 11 | Flagstaff, AZ | $33,649 | $16.18 |
| 12 | Sioux Falls, SD | $31,423 | $15.11 |
| 13 | Omaha, NE | $31,155 | $14.98 |
| 14 | Tulsa, OK | $30,163 | $14.50 |
| 15 | Fort Myers, FL | $26,943 | $12.95 |
| 16 | Charleston, SC | $24,420 | $11.74 |
Medical laboratory assistant salary details
A medical laboratory assistant's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a medical laboratory assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| Average | $34,673 | $2,889 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
Highest paying medical laboratory assistant jobs
The highest paying types of medical laboratory assistants are medical laboratory technician, clinical laboratory technician, and medical research assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Clerk | $32,439 | $2,703 | $15.60 | 166,322 |
| Laboratory Aide | $28,083 | $2,340 | $13.50 | 89,595 |
| Medical Assisting Extern | $35,737 | $2,978 | $17.18 | 81,077 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technician | $50,756 | $4,230 | $24.40 | 119,050 |
| Medical Laboratory Technologist Internship | $37,088 | $3,091 | $17.83 | 169,421 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | $51,780 | $4,315 | $24.89 | 88,721 |
Top companies hiring medical laboratory assistants now:
Which companies pay medical laboratory assistants the most?
Medical laboratory assistant salaries at University of California, Berkeley and Medical University of South Carolina are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average medical laboratory assistant salary at companies like MAS Medical Staffing and Sonic Healthcare USA are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley | $46,364 | $22.29 |
| 2 | Medical University of South Carolina | $43,336 | $20.83 |
| 3 | MAS Medical Staffing | $42,900 | $20.63 |
| 4 | Sonic Healthcare USA | $39,260 | $18.88 |
| 5 | High Peaks Physicaltherapy | $37,889 | $18.22 |
| 6 | Minnesota Limited | $37,847 | $18.20 |
| 7 | Self Regional Healthcare | $37,685 | $18.12 |
| 8 | Mayo Clinic | $37,641 | $18.10 |
| 9 | St. Charles Health System | $37,551 | $18.05 |
| 10 | Meridian Bank | $37,486 | $18.02 |
| 11 | University of Nebraska System | $37,474 | $18.02 |
| 12 | Prime Healthcare | $37,323 | $17.94 |
| 13 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $36,893 | $17.74 |
| 14 | Memorial Health | $36,805 | $17.69 |
| 15 | Eisenhower Medical Center | $36,792 | $17.69 |
| 16 | Vidant Health | $36,762 | $17.67 |
| 17 | Mission Regional Medical Center | $36,583 | $17.59 |
| 18 | CovenantHealth | $36,565 | $17.58 |
| 19 | Tidelands Health | $36,517 | $17.56 |
| 20 | BayCare Health System | $36,409 | $17.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Medical laboratory assistant salary trends
The average medical laboratory assistant salary has risen by $6,528 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average medical laboratory assistant earned $28,145 annually, but today, they earn $34,673 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for medical laboratory assistants over the last decade.
Compare medical laboratory assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average medical laboratory assistant salary over time
Compare medical laboratory assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Medical laboratory assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,700 | $16.67 | +2.9% |
| 2024 | $33,700 | $16.18 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $32,500 | $15.63 | +3.4% |
| 2022 | $31,400 | $15.10 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $30,500 | $14.67 | +3.0% |
Recently added medical laboratory assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Essentia Health | Medical Laboratory Assistant (Casual/Prn) | Spooner, WI | 06/28/2025 | $35,876 |
| Essentia Health | Medical Laboratory Assistant | Fargo, ND | 06/28/2025 | $36,418 |
| Essentia Health | Medical Laboratory Assistant (Phlebotomy) | Duluth, MN | 06/28/2025 | $39,716 |
| Rady Children's Hospital San Diego | Medical Lab Assistant II (MLA)-Lab-Administration | San Diego, CA | 06/28/2025 | $52,196 |
| Maricopa Integrated Health System | Medical Laboratory Assistant I Pool | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $47,584 |
| Valleywise Health | Medical Laboratory Assistant I Pool | Phoenix, AZ | 06/28/2025 | $47,584 |
| County of Santa Clara (Ca | Medical Laboratory Assistant II | Santa Clara, CA | 06/27/2025 | $71,970 |
| Johns Hopkins Medicine | Medical Lab Assistant II | Washington, DC | 06/26/2025 | $40,822 |
| Advocate Health and Hospitals Corporation | Medical Assistant-Lab/Family Medicine (Chicago-North AV) | Chicago, IL | 06/22/2025 | $44,766 |
| St. Mary's Medical Center | Medical Laboratory Assistant (Phlebotomy) | Duluth, MN | 06/20/2025 | $39,716 |
Medical laboratory assistant salary FAQs
Search for medical laboratory assistant jobs