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Best states for a medical laboratory technician
Quoted expert
Keith Belcher Ph.D.
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for medical laboratory technicians? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for medical laboratory technician jobs for you to check out and see if you think it's time to move and start anew. Not all states fare the same when it come to job opportunity and pay.We wanted to look at the best states for medical laboratory technicians -- where there are plenty of medical laboratory technician jobs to go around and medical laboratory technicians get paid what they deserve during every phase of their career.
In order to get you the best states for medical laboratory technicians, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.If you are currently seeking employment as a medical laboratory technician, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for medical laboratory technicians in 2025
1. Nevada
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 648 Average annual salary: $66,491 Lowest 10 percent earn: $48,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.322. California
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 7,993 Average annual salary: $70,385 Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.163. Alaska
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $78,380 Lowest 10 percent earn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $88,000 Location Quotient: 14. West Virginia
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 470 Average annual salary: $55,852 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.315. New Hampshire
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 447 Average annual salary: $59,805 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.086. Massachusetts
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 2,040 Average annual salary: $64,481 Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 0.947. Maine
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 378 Average annual salary: $56,086 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location Quotient: 1.218. Arizona
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 1,380 Average annual salary: $58,768 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 19. New York
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 3,422 Average annual salary: $59,718 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 1.1310. Arkansas
Total medical laboratory technician jobs: 623 Average annual salary: $56,089 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.01
Medical laboratory technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a medical laboratory technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a medical laboratory technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $66,491 | $48,000 | 2,998,039 | 648 |
| 2 | California | $70,385 | $51,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,993 |
| 3 | Alaska | $78,380 | $69,000 | 739,795 | 196 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $55,852 | $39,000 | 1,815,857 | 470 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $59,805 | $41,000 | 1,342,795 | 447 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $64,481 | $45,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,040 |
| 7 | Maine | $56,086 | $39,000 | 1,335,907 | 378 |
| 8 | Arizona | $58,768 | $43,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,380 |
| 9 | New York | $59,718 | $41,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,422 |
| 10 | Arkansas | $56,089 | $40,000 | 3,004,279 | 623 |
| 11 | Vermont | $57,162 | $40,000 | 623,657 | 189 |
| 12 | Washington | $66,148 | $50,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,361 |
| 13 | Oregon | $65,272 | $49,000 | 4,142,776 | 706 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $61,561 | $42,000 | 3,588,184 | 640 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $51,368 | $37,000 | 4,454,189 | 1,103 |
| 16 | Idaho | $53,449 | $39,000 | 1,716,943 | 464 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $56,692 | $39,000 | 4,684,333 | 651 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $58,291 | $40,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,837 |
| 19 | Delaware | $55,188 | $38,000 | 961,939 | 299 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $54,233 | $38,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,272 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $56,988 | $39,000 | 1,059,639 | 231 |
| 22 | Kansas | $49,997 | $36,000 | 2,913,123 | 937 |
| 23 | Georgia | $51,784 | $36,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,858 |
| 24 | Michigan | $50,858 | $36,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,866 |
| 25 | Montana | $54,996 | $42,000 | 1,050,493 | 215 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $49,719 | $36,000 | 1,920,076 | 632 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $48,755 | $35,000 | 2,088,070 | 614 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $62,634 | $53,000 | 1,427,538 | 147 |
| 29 | Illinois | $48,151 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 3,425 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $48,546 | $37,000 | 755,393 | 191 |
| 31 | Utah | $50,289 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 562 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $48,396 | $33,000 | 12,805,537 | 2,563 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $49,851 | $37,000 | 579,315 | 89 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $46,475 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,969 |
| 35 | Florida | $47,050 | $31,000 | 20,984,400 | 3,918 |
| 36 | Missouri | $45,573 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,658 |
| 37 | Texas | $48,441 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 3,950 |
| 38 | Maryland | $52,331 | $36,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,177 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $54,029 | $37,000 | 693,972 | 251 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $46,303 | $34,000 | 869,666 | 241 |
| 41 | Ohio | $46,850 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,111 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $45,964 | $32,000 | 2,984,100 | 496 |
| 43 | Colorado | $49,931 | $36,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,033 |
| 44 | Indiana | $45,997 | $33,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,394 |
| 45 | Iowa | $45,355 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 804 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $47,784 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 530 |
| 47 | Virginia | $44,945 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 2,195 |
| 48 | Alabama | $41,731 | $29,000 | 4,874,747 | 1,055 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $44,734 | $32,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,071 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $42,738 | $30,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,979 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $40,130 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 989 |
Highest paying states for medical laboratory technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Medical Laboratory Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $66,491 |
| 2 | California | $70,385 |
| 3 | Alaska | $78,380 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $55,852 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $59,805 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $64,481 |
| 7 | Maine | $56,086 |
| 8 | Arizona | $58,768 |
| 9 | New York | $59,718 |
| 10 | Arkansas | $56,089 |
| 11 | Vermont | $57,162 |
| 12 | Washington | $66,148 |
| 13 | Oregon | $65,272 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $61,561 |
| 15 | Kentucky | $51,368 |
| 16 | Idaho | $53,449 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $56,692 |
| 18 | New Jersey | $58,291 |
| 19 | Delaware | $55,188 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $54,233 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $56,988 |
| 22 | Kansas | $49,997 |
| 23 | Georgia | $51,784 |
| 24 | Michigan | $50,858 |
| 25 | Montana | $54,996 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $49,719 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $48,755 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $62,634 |
| 29 | Illinois | $48,151 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $48,546 |
| 31 | Utah | $50,289 |
| 32 | Pennsylvania | $48,396 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $49,851 |
| 34 | Minnesota | $46,475 |
| 35 | Florida | $47,050 |
| 36 | Missouri | $45,573 |
| 37 | Texas | $48,441 |
| 38 | Maryland | $52,331 |
| 39 | District of Columbia | $54,029 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $46,303 |
| 41 | Ohio | $46,850 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $45,964 |
| 43 | Colorado | $49,931 |
| 44 | Indiana | $45,997 |
| 45 | Iowa | $45,355 |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $47,784 |
| 47 | Virginia | $44,945 |
| 48 | Alabama | $41,731 |
| 49 | Wisconsin | $44,734 |
| 50 | North Carolina | $42,738 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $40,130 |
Expert opinions on the best states for medical laboratory technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for medical laboratory technicians to find work opportunities?
Keith Belcher Ph.D.
Professor, Medical Laboratory Science Director, Medical Laboratory Science Program, Georgia Southern University-Armstrong Campus
Students graduating from the program must also pass a national board certification to be able to work in the profession. The examination is sponsored by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP). Our program is running a three year average of a 90% pass rate on the exam (for first-time examinees) compared to a national average of around 78-82%. At this time, our students have a placement rate of 98%, so there are plenty of job opportunities available. Certified MLS graduates may choose to work in a variety of areas. Most will work in a hospital clinical setting or a specialty reference laboratory. Some may choose to enter into pharmaceutical research or forensic science. The COVID pandemic has brought to light the need for more Medical Laboratory Scientists. The job outlook and prospects for MLS graduates are excellent in any state within the U.S. MLS programs cannot turn out enough MLS graduates to meet current demands.
Medical laboratory technician best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025