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Senior laboratory specialist salary
Average senior laboratory specialist salary
$55,556
Understanding the Senior Laboratory Specialist Salary
A Senior Laboratory Specialist typically earns an average salary of $55,556 annually. This figure can vary significantly based on geography, experience, and the specific sector within the laboratory field. For instance, states like California and Massachusetts often offer higher salaries due to their higher cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
In addition to salary, the job market for Senior Laboratory Specialists is growing, with opportunities in various settings including hospitals, research facilities, and pharmaceutical companies. The job market is particularly robust in metropolitan areas where healthcare and research institutions are concentrated.
Those looking to maximize their earning potential should consider roles that require specialized skills or advanced certifications. High-paying cities for this position include San Francisco, New York, and Boston, where salaries can exceed the national average by a significant margin.
As you navigate your career path, Zippia provides valuable resources to find the best job openings and salary insights for Senior Laboratory Specialists. Exploring these options can help you make informed decisions about your future in this vital field.
Let Zippia find your next senior laboratory specialist job
Let Zippia find your next senior laboratory specialist job
Where can a Senior Laboratory Specialist earn more?
Average senior laboratory specialist salary by state
The highest-paying states for senior laboratory specialists are Massachusetts, Alaska, and Pennsylvania. The lowest average senior laboratory specialist salary states are Indiana, Arkansas, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for senior laboratory specialists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pennsylvania | $69,457 | $33.39 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $70,621 | $33.95 |
| 3 | Alaska | $70,420 | $33.86 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $62,994 | $30.29 |
| 5 | Maine | $69,370 | $33.35 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $64,769 | $31.14 |
| 7 | Vermont | $60,081 | $28.89 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $63,241 | $30.40 |
| 9 | North Carolina | $61,514 | $29.57 |
| 10 | Ohio | $58,913 | $28.32 |
| 11 | Delaware | $63,116 | $30.34 |
| 12 | Arizona | $58,605 | $28.18 |
| 13 | Louisiana | $60,067 | $28.88 |
| 14 | North Dakota | $54,432 | $26.17 |
| 15 | Michigan | $56,836 | $27.32 |
| 16 | New York | $58,483 | $28.12 |
| 17 | Nevada | $57,194 | $27.50 |
| 18 | Washington | $59,904 | $28.80 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $60,957 | $29.31 |
| 20 | District of Columbia | $67,355 | $32.38 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $54,608 | $26.25 |
| 22 | California | $60,924 | $29.29 |
| 23 | Idaho | $52,581 | $25.28 |
| 24 | Oregon | $57,951 | $27.86 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $56,483 | $27.16 |
| 26 | Wyoming | $50,069 | $24.07 |
| 27 | Illinois | $56,565 | $27.19 |
| 28 | Montana | $51,118 | $24.58 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $57,279 | $27.54 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $47,628 | $22.90 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $49,987 | $24.03 |
| 32 | Maryland | $53,538 | $25.74 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $48,364 | $23.25 |
| 34 | Kansas | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $49,423 | $23.76 |
| 36 | Virginia | $56,582 | $27.20 |
| 37 | Utah | $50,274 | $24.17 |
| 38 | Florida | $48,424 | $23.28 |
| 39 | Texas | $50,731 | $24.39 |
| 40 | Iowa | $45,421 | $21.84 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $49,359 | $23.73 |
| 42 | Colorado | $51,893 | $24.95 |
| 43 | Arkansas | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| 44 | New Mexico | $47,092 | $22.64 |
| 45 | Alabama | $47,018 | $22.60 |
| 46 | Indiana | $46,880 | $22.54 |
| 47 | Missouri | $47,483 | $22.83 |
| 48 | Georgia | $47,340 | $22.76 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $45,717 | $21.98 |
| 50 | Kentucky | $45,199 | $21.73 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $44,579 | $21.43 |
Highest paying cities for senior laboratory specialists
The highest-paying cities for senior laboratory specialists are Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, and Sacramento, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia, PA | $70,137 | $33.72 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $67,339 | $32.37 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $62,624 | $30.11 |
| 4 | Bothell, WA | $60,234 | $28.96 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $58,579 | $28.16 |
| 6 | Ann Arbor, MI | $56,698 | $27.26 |
| 7 | Richmond, VA | $56,209 | $27.02 |
| 8 | Gaithersburg, MD | $53,248 | $25.60 |
| 9 | Boulder, CO | $51,892 | $24.95 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $50,260 | $24.16 |
| 11 | Dallas, TX | $50,156 | $24.11 |
| 12 | Tallahassee, FL | $46,776 | $22.49 |
| 13 | North Charleston, SC | $45,817 | $22.03 |
Senior laboratory specialist salary details
A senior laboratory specialist's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $73,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a senior laboratory specialist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $55,556 | $4,630 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying senior laboratory specialist jobs
The highest paying types of senior laboratory specialists are laboratory manager, medical technologist lead, and clinical laboratory scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Technologist, Generalist | $58,246 | $4,854 | $28.00 | 121,721 |
| Medical Technologist-Microbiology | $55,441 | $4,620 | $26.65 | 113,355 |
| Medical Technologist Lead | $68,094 | $5,675 | $32.74 | 125,848 |
| Medical Technologist | $53,249 | $4,437 | $25.60 | 116,495 |
| Cytogenetic Technologist | $54,242 | $4,520 | $26.08 | 76,373 |
| Laboratory Internship | $35,305 | $2,942 | $16.97 | 90,970 |
Top companies hiring senior laboratory specialists now:
Which companies pay senior laboratory specialists the most?
Senior laboratory specialist salaries at AstraZeneca and Con Edison are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average senior laboratory specialist salary at companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific and Merck are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AstraZeneca | $82,502 | $39.66 |
| 2 | Con Edison | $65,568 | $31.52 |
| 3 | Thermo Fisher Scientific | $64,615 | $31.06 |
| 4 | Merck | $63,682 | $30.62 |
| 5 | Sharp HealthCare | $63,538 | $30.55 |
| 6 | Regeneron | $62,189 | $29.90 |
| 7 | Ricoh | $60,642 | $29.15 |
| 8 | WestRock | $59,627 | $28.67 |
| 9 | Parkland Hospital | $58,675 | $28.21 |
| 10 | Florida State University | $58,529 | $28.14 |
| 11 | University of Michigan | $57,640 | $27.71 |
| 12 | Seagen | $56,966 | $27.39 |
| 13 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $56,493 | $27.16 |
| 14 | St Joseph Medical Group | $56,386 | $27.11 |
| 15 | University of Virginia | $56,259 | $27.05 |
| 16 | Paramount | $55,926 | $26.89 |
| 17 | Con Edison Development | $55,880 | $26.87 |
| 18 | Triumvirate Environmental | $55,776 | $26.82 |
| 19 | Taconic Biosciences | $55,764 | $26.81 |
| 20 | University of Colorado Boulder | $54,971 | $26.43 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Senior laboratory specialist salary trends
The average senior laboratory specialist salary has risen by $6,168 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average senior laboratory specialist earned $49,388 annually, but today, they earn $55,556 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for senior laboratory specialists over the last decade.
Compare senior laboratory specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average senior laboratory specialist salary over time
Compare senior laboratory specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Senior laboratory specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $55,600 | $26.71 | +2.7% |
| 2025 | $54,000 | $25.98 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | $54,400 | $26.17 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $53,100 | $25.52 | +1.9% |
| 2022 | $52,100 | $25.03 | -0.1% |
Recently added senior laboratory specialist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exact Sciences | SR. Lab Quality & Regulatory Specialist | Madison, WI | 06/30/2025 | $67,000 |
| State of Virginia | Laboratory Specialist Senior | Kilmarnock, VA | 06/28/2025 | $45,000 |
| University of Colorado | Laboratory Sciences Professional (Open Rank: Entry-Senior) | Aurora, CO | 06/27/2025 | $52,941 |
| Sysmex America | SR. Specialist, Laboratory-Clinical Studies | Mundelein, IL | 06/21/2025 | $84,000 |
| DHRM | Laboratory Specialist Senior | Kilmarnock, VA | 06/16/2025 | $45,000 |
| University of Colorado | Laboratory Sciences Professional (Entry-Senior Level) | Aurora, CO | 05/04/2025 | $54,440 |
| University of Colorado | Laboratory Sciences Professional (Open Rank: Entry-Senior) | Aurora, CO | 04/26/2025 | $52,941 |
| University of Colorado | Laboratory Sciences Professional (Open Rank Entry-Senior) | Aurora, CO | 03/31/2025 | $52,941 |
| University of Colorado | Laboratory Sciences Professional (Open Rank: Entry-Senior) | Aurora, CO | 03/28/2025 | $52,941 |
| Details | Laboratory Specialist Senior | Blacksburg, VA | 03/17/2025 | $40,000 |
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