Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The salary for a Biological Technician varies across the United States, with the national average standing at $43,572 per year. Factors influencing this salary include experience level, state, and specific industries such as pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. Technicians with more years in the field can expect higher pay, with salaries increasing significantly as they gain experience.
Biological technicians in states like California and Massachusetts tend to earn higher salaries compared to those in states with a lower cost of living. For instance, California offers some of the highest salaries, averaging over $50,000 annually.
As the demand for biological research increases, job opportunities in this field are expected to grow. Technicians often find roles in laboratories, hospitals, or government agencies. To maximize earning potential, pursuing certifications and advancing education can lead to higher-paying positions within the industry.
Let Zippia find your next biological technician job
Let Zippia find your next biological technician job
The highest-paying states for biological technicians are Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The lowest average biological technician salary states are Kansas, Alabama, and Indiana.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $53,630 | $25.78 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $53,919 | $25.92 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $47,384 | $22.78 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $52,762 | $25.37 |
| 5 | New York | $48,087 | $23.12 |
| 6 | California | $51,115 | $24.57 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $52,557 | $25.27 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $43,973 | $21.14 |
| 9 | Illinois | $44,965 | $21.62 |
| 10 | Wisconsin | $42,558 | $20.46 |
| 11 | Arkansas | $41,919 | $20.15 |
| 12 | New Mexico | $45,714 | $21.98 |
| 13 | Michigan | $40,536 | $19.49 |
| 14 | Ohio | $41,790 | $20.09 |
| 15 | Maine | $38,948 | $18.73 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $42,708 | $20.53 |
| 17 | Oregon | $40,865 | $19.65 |
| 18 | Maryland | $41,064 | $19.74 |
| 19 | Delaware | $40,222 | $19.34 |
| 20 | Utah | $39,541 | $19.01 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $39,592 | $19.03 |
| 22 | Texas | $41,007 | $19.71 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | $40,980 | $19.70 |
| 24 | Wyoming | $38,886 | $18.70 |
| 25 | Missouri | $38,235 | $18.38 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $36,121 | $17.37 |
| 27 | Washington | $39,707 | $19.09 |
| 28 | Louisiana | $38,976 | $18.74 |
| 29 | Iowa | $38,232 | $18.38 |
| 30 | Vermont | $35,207 | $16.93 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,532 | $18.52 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $36,866 | $17.72 |
| 33 | Virginia | $39,398 | $18.94 |
| 34 | Alaska | $33,711 | $16.21 |
| 35 | Arizona | $35,120 | $16.88 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $34,428 | $16.55 |
| 37 | Nevada | $36,575 | $17.58 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $33,825 | $16.26 |
| 39 | Colorado | $34,360 | $16.52 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $34,415 | $16.55 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $35,383 | $17.01 |
| 42 | Georgia | $36,168 | $17.39 |
| 43 | Florida | $34,409 | $16.54 |
| 44 | Kansas | $33,466 | $16.09 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $33,540 | $16.13 |
| 46 | Idaho | $33,561 | $16.14 |
| 47 | Alabama | $31,372 | $15.08 |
| 48 | Indiana | $29,978 | $14.41 |
| 49 | Montana | $28,998 | $13.94 |
| 50 | South Dakota | $29,198 | $14.04 |
| 51 | North Dakota | $29,700 | $14.28 |
The highest-paying cities for biological technicians are Berkeley, CA, Natick, MA, and Piscataway, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $55,056 | $26.47 |
| 2 | Natick, MA | $53,627 | $25.78 |
| 3 | Piscataway, NJ | $52,683 | $25.33 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $48,246 | $23.20 |
| 5 | Wheeling, IL | $45,347 | $21.80 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,505 | $21.40 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $42,772 | $20.56 |
| 8 | Little Rock, AR | $42,199 | $20.29 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $41,407 | $19.91 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | $41,358 | $19.88 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $40,630 | $19.53 |
| 12 | Ann Arbor, MI | $40,351 | $19.40 |
| 13 | Salt Lake City, UT | $39,136 | $18.82 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,226 | $18.38 |
| 15 | San Juan, PR | $37,906 | $18.22 |
| 16 | Morgantown, WV | $37,102 | $17.84 |
| 17 | Memphis, TN | $34,720 | $16.69 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $34,245 | $16.46 |
A biological technician's salary ranges from $30,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $61,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $61,000 | $5,083 | $29 |
| 75th Percentile | $52,000 | $4,333 | $25 |
| Average | $43,572 | $3,631 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
The highest paying types of biological technicians are scientist, research and development technician, and biologist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Internship | $35,305 | $2,942 | $16.97 | 90,970 |
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Research And Development Technician | $83,552 | $6,963 | $40.17 | 111,268 |
| Biologist | $65,158 | $5,430 | $31.33 | 5,741 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for biological technicians, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Shailesh Lal
Professor, Oakland University
Top companies hiring biological technicians now:
Biological technician salaries at Bristol-Myers Squibb and Regeneron are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average biological technician salary at companies like Battelle and Lincoln University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $74,444 | $35.79 |
| 2 | Regeneron | $72,142 | $34.68 |
| 3 | Battelle | $63,626 | $30.59 |
| 4 | Lincoln University | $60,868 | $29.26 |
| 5 | Integrity Bio | $54,539 | $26.22 |
| 6 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $53,773 | $25.85 |
| 7 | UMiami Health System | $53,285 | $25.62 |
| 8 | UC Santa Barbara | $53,280 | $25.62 |
| 9 | GenScript | $52,120 | $25.06 |
| 10 | Research Foundation For Mental Hygiene Inc | $50,853 | $24.45 |
| 11 | Ortho Clinical Diagnostics | $50,786 | $24.42 |
| 12 | Howard University | $50,765 | $24.41 |
| 13 | Student Conservation Association | $50,299 | $24.18 |
| 14 | Meridian Health Services | $49,798 | $23.94 |
| 15 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $49,517 | $23.81 |
| 16 | VGXI | $49,307 | $23.71 |
| 17 | Case Western Reserve University | $49,268 | $23.69 |
| 18 | Populus Group | $49,030 | $23.57 |
| 19 | Corteva | $48,693 | $23.41 |
| 20 | Massachusetts General Hospital | $48,680 | $23.40 |
The average biological technician salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $49,428 | $23.76 |
| 2 | Government | $39,522 | $19.00 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $38,043 | $18.29 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $37,986 | $18.26 |
The average biological technician salary has risen by $6,450 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average biological technician earned $37,122 annually, but today, they earn $43,572 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for biological technicians over the last decade.
Compare biological technician salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare biological technician salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $43,600 | $20.95 | +1.0% |
| 2025 | $43,100 | $20.73 | +3.0% |
| 2024 | $41,800 | $20.12 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $41,200 | $19.80 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $40,000 | $19.22 | +2.0% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avantor | Biology Live Technician | Henrietta, NY | 06/30/2025 | $37,500 |
| Jackson Laboratory | Molecular & Cell Biology Technologist | Bar Harbor, ME | 06/30/2025 | $48,356 |
| STI Federal | Biological Technician | Atlanta, GA | 06/13/2025 | $65,000 |
| Cramer Fish Sciences | Seasonal Biological Technician | Eugene, OR | 06/05/2025 | $41,740 |
| Parsons | Senior Biological Technician I-Molecular Diagnostics | Frederick, MD | 05/25/2025 | $54,600 |
| Parsons Technical Services | Biological Technician I-Molecular Diagnostics | Frederick, MD | 05/17/2025 | $45,664 |
| Parsons Commercial Technology Group Inc. | Biological Technician I-Molecular Diagnostics | Frederick, MD | 05/15/2025 | $45,664 |
| Parsons | Biological Technician I-Molecular Diagnostics | Frederick, MD | 04/28/2025 | $54,600 |
| Tennessee Board of Regents | Teaching Technician, Biology | Chattanooga, TN | 04/26/2025 | $35,568 |
| Colorado State University | Fish Biology Technician | Fort Collins, CO | 04/04/2025 | $38,000 |
Search for biological technician jobs