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Research laboratory technician salary
Average research laboratory technician salary
$38,308
Average Salary for Research Laboratory Technicians
The average salary for a Research Laboratory Technician is approximately $38,308 annually, translating to about $18 per hour. Salaries can differ significantly across states and industries, with factors such as experience level and specific sector influence on earnings. For instance, technicians with several years of experience tend to earn higher wages compared to entry-level positions.
Highest Paying States and Cities
Research laboratory technicians in states like California and Massachusetts often enjoy some of the highest salaries due to a higher cost of living and demand for qualified professionals. Major cities such as San Francisco and Boston also provide lucrative opportunities. Understanding these differences helps aspiring technicians make informed career decisions and identify the best locations for their skill set.
Salary by Experience Level
Entry-level technicians typically earn lower salaries, while those with advanced skills and certifications can see their earnings increase significantly. Exploring salary data by experience level can provide valuable insights for career advancement.
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Where can a Research Laboratory Technician earn more?
Research laboratory technician salaries by experience level
Average research laboratory technician salary by state
The average research laboratory technician salary in Illinois, California, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research laboratory technician salary states are Montana, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research laboratory technicians
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $43,850 | $21.08 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $42,903 | $20.63 |
| 3 | New York | $42,771 | $20.56 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $43,056 | $20.70 |
| 5 | Wisconsin | $41,545 | $19.97 |
| 6 | Illinois | $45,611 | $21.93 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $44,173 | $21.24 |
| 8 | California | $45,293 | $21.78 |
| 9 | Washington | $40,509 | $19.48 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $38,688 | $18.60 |
| 11 | Wyoming | $36,517 | $17.56 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $36,922 | $17.75 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $38,442 | $18.48 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $36,993 | $17.79 |
| 15 | Maryland | $37,307 | $17.94 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $36,587 | $17.59 |
| 17 | Arizona | $35,608 | $17.12 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $35,018 | $16.84 |
| 19 | Georgia | $37,610 | $18.08 |
| 20 | Hawaii | $40,761 | $19.60 |
| 21 | Michigan | $35,495 | $17.06 |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 23 | Alaska | $34,499 | $16.59 |
| 24 | Colorado | $35,592 | $17.11 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $35,967 | $17.29 |
| 26 | Ohio | $34,977 | $16.82 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $34,487 | $16.58 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $32,583 | $15.66 |
| 29 | Maine | $32,572 | $15.66 |
| 30 | District of Columbia | $37,459 | $18.01 |
| 31 | Delaware | $34,135 | $16.41 |
| 32 | Nevada | $34,591 | $16.63 |
| 33 | Idaho | $33,028 | $15.88 |
| 34 | Texas | $32,865 | $15.80 |
| 35 | Vermont | $29,364 | $14.12 |
| 36 | Virginia | $33,717 | $16.21 |
| 37 | South Dakota | $27,758 | $13.35 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $32,595 | $15.67 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $32,780 | $15.76 |
| 40 | Oregon | $29,114 | $14.00 |
| 41 | Missouri | $30,964 | $14.89 |
| 42 | Kansas | $30,466 | $14.65 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $30,694 | $14.76 |
| 44 | Utah | $27,157 | $13.06 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $31,035 | $14.92 |
| 46 | North Dakota | $27,731 | $13.33 |
| 47 | Montana | $27,995 | $13.46 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $29,637 | $14.25 |
| 49 | Florida | $28,156 | $13.54 |
| 50 | Indiana | $27,660 | $13.30 |
| 51 | Alabama | $27,038 | $13.00 |
Highest paying cities for research laboratory technicians
The highest-paying cities for research laboratory technicians are Chicago, IL, Los Angeles, CA, and Worcester, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago, IL | $45,782 | $22.01 |
| 2 | Los Angeles, CA | $45,445 | $21.85 |
| 3 | Worcester, MA | $43,948 | $21.13 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $42,850 | $20.60 |
| 5 | Madison, WI | $41,505 | $19.95 |
| 6 | Seattle, WA | $40,576 | $19.51 |
| 7 | Alpharetta, GA | $37,675 | $18.11 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $37,377 | $17.97 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,619 | $17.61 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $35,716 | $17.17 |
| 11 | Aurora, CO | $35,534 | $17.08 |
| 12 | Mount Pleasant, MI | $35,512 | $17.07 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $35,435 | $17.04 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,087 | $16.87 |
| 15 | Omaha, NE | $34,542 | $16.61 |
| 16 | Charlottesville, VA | $33,785 | $16.24 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $32,597 | $15.67 |
| 18 | Dallas, TX | $32,153 | $15.46 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $31,071 | $14.94 |
| 20 | Charleston, SC | $30,888 | $14.85 |
Research laboratory technician salary details
A research laboratory technician's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $48,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research laboratory technician's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $48,000 | $4,000 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| Average | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18 |
| 25th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
Highest paying research laboratory technician jobs
The highest paying types of research laboratory technicians are research scientist, research and development technician, and senior research associate.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Biological Science Technician | $35,390 | $2,949 | $17.01 | 13,801 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Research Scientist | $89,998 | $7,500 | $43.27 | 93,013 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Laboratory Internship | $35,305 | $2,942 | $16.97 | 90,970 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for research laboratory technicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Professor Susan Bergeson
Top companies hiring research laboratory technicians now:
Which companies pay research laboratory technicians the most?
Research laboratory technician salaries at Accenture and University of Southern California are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research laboratory technician salary at companies like California Institute of Technology and Jacobs Engineering Group are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accenture | $53,711 | $25.82 |
| 2 | University of Southern California | $48,229 | $23.19 |
| 3 | California Institute of Technology | $46,095 | $22.16 |
| 4 | Jacobs Engineering Group | $45,389 | $21.82 |
| 5 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $44,353 | $21.32 |
| 6 | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc | $43,727 | $21.02 |
| 7 | HHMI | $43,686 | $21.00 |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $43,471 | $20.90 |
| 9 | Mayo Clinic | $43,389 | $20.86 |
| 10 | University of Colorado Boulder | $43,170 | $20.75 |
| 11 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $42,861 | $20.61 |
| 12 | ADM | $42,583 | $20.47 |
| 13 | Cornell University | $42,294 | $20.33 |
| 14 | Medical University of South Carolina | $42,229 | $20.30 |
| 15 | Xerox | $42,209 | $20.29 |
| 16 | Hormel Foods | $42,139 | $20.26 |
| 17 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $41,826 | $20.11 |
| 18 | Intel | $41,781 | $20.09 |
| 19 | Brigham and Women's Hospital | $41,736 | $20.07 |
| 20 | Form Energy | $41,682 | $20.04 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research Laboratory Technician salary by industry
The average research laboratory technician salary varies across industries:
- The average research laboratory technician salary in the manufacturing industry is $42,600, the highest of any industry.
- The average research laboratory technician salary in the finance industry is $41,522.
- Research laboratory technicians in the government industry earn an average salary of $38,559, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research laboratory technicians
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $42,600 | $20.48 |
| 2 | Education | $41,522 | $19.96 |
| 3 | Health Care | $40,499 | $19.47 |
| 4 | Government | $38,559 | $18.54 |
High paying research laboratory technician jobs
Research laboratory technician salary trends
The average research laboratory technician salary has risen by $5,671 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research laboratory technician earned $32,637 annually, but today, they earn $38,308 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for research laboratory technicians over the last decade.
Compare research laboratory technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research laboratory technician salary over time
Compare research laboratory technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research laboratory technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $38,300 | $18.42 | +1.0% |
| 2024 | $37,900 | $18.23 | +3.0% |
| 2023 | $36,800 | $17.69 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $36,200 | $17.41 | +2.9% |
| 2021 | $35,200 | $16.90 | +2.0% |
Recently added research laboratory technician salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Pennsylvania | Research Lab Technician C (Department of Radiology) | Chance, MD | 06/30/2025 | $40,133 |
| The University of Chicago | Research Technician, Hibino Lab | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $45,142 |
| Howard Hughes Medical Institute | Research Technician I-Morrison Lab | Nome, TX | 06/28/2025 | $34,916 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Lab and Research Tech-Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology | Richmond, VA | 06/28/2025 | $40,000 |
| Cornell University | Research Technician-Department of Entomology-Poveda Lab | Ithaca, NY | 06/28/2025 | $45,037 |
| University of Florida | OPS Neuroscience Laboratory Research Technician | Gainesville, FL | 06/26/2025 | $31,305 |
| Electra | Laboratory Technician I-Electrochemical R&D | Boulder, CO | 06/21/2025 | $48,001 |
| Penn State University | Research Technologist-Life Sciences-Crowley Lab | Parkesburg, PA | 06/20/2025 | $34,800 |
| University of Southern California | Research Lab Technician I | Los Angeles, CA | 06/19/2025 | $45,100 |
| Edwards Lifesciences Corp | Technologist, R&D Test Lab | Irvine, CA | 06/18/2025 | $60,000 |
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