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Molecular technologist salary
Average molecular technologist salary
$54,483
Understanding the Molecular Technologist Salary
The salary of a Molecular Technologist varies based on several factors, including experience, education, and location. On average, these professionals earn about $54,483 per year. Entry-level positions may start at a lower rate, around $42,000 annually, while experienced technologists can command significantly higher salaries, especially in states with a strong demand for healthcare professionals.
Top-Paying States
In states like California, Massachusetts, and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the concentration of biotechnology firms and healthcare facilities. For instance, molecular technologists in California can expect to earn upwards of $65,000 annually. Understanding these regional differences is crucial for anyone looking to enter or advance in this field.
Career Opportunities
As the demand for skilled molecular technologists continues to grow, opportunities in research laboratories, hospitals, and biotech companies are expanding. Pursuing additional certifications or specialized training can further enhance earning potential and open doors to advanced positions within the industry.
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Where can a Molecular Technologist earn more?
Molecular technologist salary estimates from across the web
Average molecular technologist salary by state
The highest-paying states for molecular technologists are Alaska, California, and Nevada. The lowest average molecular technologist salary states are Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for molecular technologists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $66,639 | $32.04 |
| 2 | Michigan | $59,503 | $28.61 |
| 3 | Alaska | $73,277 | $35.23 |
| 4 | Nevada | $71,417 | $34.34 |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $57,047 | $27.43 |
| 6 | Idaho | $59,977 | $28.84 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $59,739 | $28.72 |
| 8 | Oregon | $71,255 | $34.26 |
| 9 | Arizona | $56,618 | $27.22 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $56,826 | $27.32 |
| 11 | Pennsylvania | $54,220 | $26.07 |
| 12 | California | $71,456 | $34.35 |
| 13 | Montana | $54,170 | $26.04 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $54,342 | $26.13 |
| 15 | Vermont | $54,027 | $25.97 |
| 16 | Maine | $53,049 | $25.50 |
| 17 | Wyoming | $53,887 | $25.91 |
| 18 | South Dakota | $50,808 | $24.43 |
| 19 | North Dakota | $52,295 | $25.14 |
| 20 | New York | $55,209 | $26.54 |
| 21 | Utah | $56,872 | $27.34 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $53,619 | $25.78 |
| 23 | Indiana | $49,758 | $23.92 |
| 24 | Washington | $56,002 | $26.92 |
| 25 | Ohio | $51,887 | $24.95 |
| 26 | Delaware | $56,121 | $26.98 |
| 27 | Maryland | $57,234 | $27.52 |
| 28 | Illinois | $53,080 | $25.52 |
| 29 | Kansas | $50,334 | $24.20 |
| 30 | Hawaii | $64,376 | $30.95 |
| 31 | Arkansas | $47,376 | $22.78 |
| 32 | District of Columbia | $59,961 | $28.83 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $51,342 | $24.68 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $49,343 | $23.72 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $51,037 | $24.54 |
| 36 | Texas | $49,345 | $23.72 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $50,473 | $24.27 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $46,697 | $22.45 |
| 39 | Tennessee | $45,357 | $21.81 |
| 40 | Louisiana | $46,681 | $22.44 |
| 41 | Virginia | $52,707 | $25.34 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $47,705 | $22.94 |
| 43 | Colorado | $51,001 | $24.52 |
| 44 | Florida | $43,769 | $21.04 |
| 45 | Missouri | $47,829 | $22.99 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $46,926 | $22.56 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $44,917 | $21.59 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $43,301 | $20.82 |
| 49 | Iowa | $43,442 | $20.89 |
| 50 | Georgia | $44,135 | $21.22 |
| 51 | Alabama | $40,070 | $19.26 |
Highest paying cities for molecular technologists
The highest-paying cities for molecular technologists are San Jose, CA, Portland, OR, and Cambridge, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $76,170 | $36.62 |
| 2 | Portland, OR | $71,045 | $34.16 |
| 3 | Cambridge, MA | $66,426 | $31.94 |
| 4 | Linden, NJ | $59,764 | $28.73 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,822 | $27.32 |
| 6 | Vancouver, WA | $56,343 | $27.09 |
| 7 | Newark, DE | $56,250 | $27.04 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $55,370 | $26.62 |
| 9 | Skokie, IL | $53,526 | $25.73 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,777 | $24.89 |
| 11 | Albuquerque, NM | $51,616 | $24.82 |
| 12 | Stamford, CT | $51,155 | $24.59 |
| 13 | Denver, CO | $50,922 | $24.48 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $49,671 | $23.88 |
| 15 | Jacksonville, FL | $44,667 | $21.47 |
| 16 | Durham, NC | $44,057 | $21.18 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $44,043 | $21.17 |
| 18 | Huntsville, AL | $39,742 | $19.11 |
Molecular technologist salary details
A molecular technologist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a molecular technologist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| Average | $54,483 | $4,540 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
Highest paying molecular technologist jobs
The highest paying types of molecular technologists are medical technologist lead, clinical laboratory scientist, and laboratory supervisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Aide | $28,083 | $2,340 | $13.50 | 89,595 |
| Laboratory Supervisor | $67,361 | $5,613 | $32.39 | 49,957 |
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | $67,900 | $5,658 | $32.64 | 133,838 |
| Laboratory Coordinator | $52,690 | $4,391 | $25.33 | 64,914 |
| Medical Laboratory Scientist | $54,377 | $4,531 | $26.14 | 121,913 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technician | $50,756 | $4,230 | $24.40 | 119,050 |
Top companies hiring molecular technologists now:
Which companies pay molecular technologists the most?
Molecular technologist salaries at Columbia University in the City of New York and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average molecular technologist salary at companies like Yale University and The University of Chicago are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $69,955 | $33.63 |
| 2 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $66,180 | $31.82 |
| 3 | Yale University | $65,559 | $31.52 |
| 4 | The University of Chicago | $65,331 | $31.41 |
| 5 | Cornell University | $63,470 | $30.51 |
| 6 | Foundation Medicine | $63,010 | $30.29 |
| 7 | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $61,741 | $29.68 |
| 8 | Legacy Health | $60,279 | $28.98 |
| 9 | Oregon Health & Science University | $60,011 | $28.85 |
| 10 | Summit Health Oregon | $59,814 | $28.76 |
| 11 | Caris Life Sciences | $58,764 | $28.25 |
| 12 | Kaiser Permanente | $58,522 | $28.14 |
| 13 | Yale New Haven Health | $58,109 | $27.94 |
| 14 | Sonic Healthcare USA | $58,096 | $27.93 |
| 15 | LifeScan | $56,699 | $27.26 |
| 16 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $56,478 | $27.15 |
| 17 | Atrium Health Floyd | $56,309 | $27.07 |
| 18 | Kelly Services | $55,980 | $26.91 |
| 19 | Staff Icons | $55,780 | $26.82 |
| 20 | Innovative Genomics Institute | $55,353 | $26.61 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Molecular technologist salary trends
The average molecular technologist salary has risen by $6,822 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average molecular technologist earned $47,661 annually, but today, they earn $54,483 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for molecular technologists over the last decade.
Compare molecular technologist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average molecular technologist salary over time
Compare molecular technologist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Molecular technologist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,500 | $26.19 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $53,000 | $25.48 | -0.7% |
| 2023 | $53,400 | $25.67 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $52,100 | $25.03 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $51,100 | $24.55 | +0.9% |
Recently added molecular technologist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Sciences | Senior Molecular Technologist | Phoenix, AZ | 06/30/2025 | $60,000 |
| Ten Healthcare | Molecular Technologist | Fenton, MO | 06/26/2025 | $45,914 |
| Aurora Health Care | Molecular Technologist | Rosemont, IL | 06/20/2025 | $67,723 |
| Cellnetix Pathology & Laboratories | Fish Molecular Tech (Ascp) | Tukwila, WA | 06/19/2025 | $90,221 |
| K.A. Recruiting | Molecular Technologist | Houston, TX | 06/11/2025 | $62,610 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Technician-Molecular Imaging | Mattawan, MI | 06/05/2025 | $41,740 |
| Charles River Laboratories | Molecular Technologist I-Maldi | Newark, DE | 05/31/2025 | $43,827 |
| University of Colorado | HLA Molecular Technologist | Aurora, CO | 05/31/2025 | $56,555 |
| Lighthouse Lab Services | Molecular Technologist | Kankakee, IL | 05/28/2025 | $73,045 |
| Genomic Health | Senior Molecular Technologist | Phoenix, AZ | 05/25/2025 | $60,000 |
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