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Best states for a research laboratory technician
Quoted expert
Linnea Ritchie Ph.D.
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Do you wonder which states in the U.S. are the best for research laboratory technicians? If so, we have the full list of best to worst states for research 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.This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for research laboratory technician jobs.
We figured that the best places for research laboratory technician jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.Massachusetts is the best state, and Waukegan is the city with the highest pay for research laboratory technicians.
10 best states for research laboratory technicians in 2025
1. Massachusetts
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 2,404 Average annual salary: $43,850 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.892. New Hampshire
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 304 Average annual salary: $42,903 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.253. New York
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 2,744 Average annual salary: $42,771 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.544. New Jersey
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 1,265 Average annual salary: $43,056 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $55,000 Location Quotient: 1.155. Wisconsin
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 790 Average annual salary: $41,545 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000 Location Quotient: 1.036. Illinois
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 1,462 Average annual salary: $45,611 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location Quotient: 0.887. Connecticut
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 439 Average annual salary: $44,173 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location Quotient: 0.958. California
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 4,306 Average annual salary: $45,293 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location Quotient: 1.069. Washington
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 1,261 Average annual salary: $40,509 Lowest 10 percent earn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.2410. New Mexico
Total research laboratory technician jobs: 277 Average annual salary: $38,688 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
Research laboratory technician jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research laboratory technician
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research laboratory technician
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $43,850 | $34,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,404 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $42,903 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 304 |
| 3 | New York | $42,771 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 2,744 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $43,056 | $33,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,265 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $41,545 | $32,000 | 5,795,483 | 790 |
| 6 | Illinois | $45,611 | $35,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,462 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $44,173 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 439 |
| 8 | California | $45,293 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,306 |
| 9 | Washington | $40,509 | $31,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,261 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $38,688 | $28,000 | 2,088,070 | 277 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $36,517 | $28,000 | 579,315 | 93 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $36,922 | $28,000 | 6,715,984 | 805 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $38,442 | $30,000 | 1,059,639 | 164 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $36,993 | $28,000 | 3,004,279 | 318 |
| 15 | Maryland | $37,307 | $28,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,128 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $36,587 | $28,000 | 5,576,606 | 955 |
| 17 | Arizona | $35,608 | $25,000 | 7,016,270 | 912 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $35,018 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,734 |
| 19 | Georgia | $37,610 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,066 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $40,761 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 21 | Michigan | $35,495 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,049 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,570 | $27,000 | 3,145,711 | 460 |
| 23 | Alaska | $34,499 | $28,000 | 739,795 | 135 |
| 24 | Colorado | $35,592 | $27,000 | 5,607,154 | 852 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $35,967 | $27,000 | 3,930,864 | 339 |
| 26 | Ohio | $34,977 | $27,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,221 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $34,487 | $26,000 | 1,920,076 | 311 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $32,583 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 219 |
| 29 | Maine | $32,572 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 181 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $37,459 | $28,000 | 693,972 | 169 |
| 31 | Delaware | $34,135 | $26,000 | 961,939 | 157 |
| 32 | Nevada | $34,591 | $25,000 | 2,998,039 | 202 |
| 33 | Idaho | $33,028 | $25,000 | 1,716,943 | 208 |
| 34 | Texas | $32,865 | $24,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,373 |
| 35 | Vermont | $29,364 | $23,000 | 623,657 | 161 |
| 36 | Virginia | $33,717 | $25,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,139 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $27,758 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 218 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $32,595 | $24,000 | 4,684,333 | 325 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $32,780 | $24,000 | 2,984,100 | 208 |
| 40 | Oregon | $29,114 | $22,000 | 4,142,776 | 708 |
| 41 | Missouri | $30,964 | $23,000 | 6,113,532 | 704 |
| 42 | Kansas | $30,466 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 329 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $30,694 | $23,000 | 4,454,189 | 326 |
| 44 | Utah | $27,157 | $20,000 | 3,101,833 | 464 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $31,035 | $23,000 | 5,024,369 | 335 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $27,731 | $21,000 | 755,393 | 124 |
| 47 | Montana | $27,995 | $21,000 | 1,050,493 | 155 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $29,637 | $22,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,072 |
| 49 | Florida | $28,156 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,947 |
| 50 | Indiana | $27,660 | $21,000 | 6,666,818 | 631 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,038 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 391 |
Highest paying states for research laboratory technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Laboratory Technician Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $43,850 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $42,903 |
| 3 | New York | $42,771 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $43,056 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $41,545 |
| 6 | Illinois | $45,611 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $44,173 |
| 8 | California | $45,293 |
| 9 | Washington | $40,509 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $38,688 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $36,517 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $36,922 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $38,442 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $36,993 |
| 15 | Maryland | $37,307 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $36,587 |
| 17 | Arizona | $35,608 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $35,018 |
| 19 | Georgia | $37,610 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $40,761 |
| 21 | Michigan | $35,495 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,570 |
| 23 | Alaska | $34,499 |
| 24 | Colorado | $35,592 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $35,967 |
| 26 | Ohio | $34,977 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $34,487 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $32,583 |
| 29 | Maine | $32,572 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $37,459 |
| 31 | Delaware | $34,135 |
| 32 | Nevada | $34,591 |
| 33 | Idaho | $33,028 |
| 34 | Texas | $32,865 |
| 35 | Vermont | $29,364 |
| 36 | Virginia | $33,717 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $27,758 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $32,595 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $32,780 |
| 40 | Oregon | $29,114 |
| 41 | Missouri | $30,964 |
| 42 | Kansas | $30,466 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $30,694 |
| 44 | Utah | $27,157 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $31,035 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $27,731 |
| 47 | Montana | $27,995 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $29,637 |
| 49 | Florida | $28,156 |
| 50 | Indiana | $27,660 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,038 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research laboratory technicians
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research laboratory technicians to find work opportunities?
Linnea Ritchie Ph.D.
PhD Student, Syracuse University
This is a difficult question. For health and safety reasons, students should be encouraged to look for jobs in areas with a low percent positive case rate. That being said, anyone deeply interested in pandemic research may find more concentrated research efforts being conducted in areas more drastically impacted by COVID-19. Additionally, cities in the US that were more affected by COVID-19 in the early months are beginning to show an increase in job recovery.
Research laboratory technician best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025