Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 19-4021

Biological Technicians

Median pay sits 51% below the mid peer in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations (neighbors include Industrial-Organizational Psychologists, Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other, Psychologists, All Other, Astronomers).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Biological Technicians: Industrial-Organizational Psychologists ($194K) , Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other ($101K) , Psychologists, All Other ($111K) , Astronomers ($129K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Biological Technicians publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 19-4021 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil…
  2. 2. Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties
  3. 3. Participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations
  4. 4. Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel
  5. 5. Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings
  6. 6. Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resourc…
  7. 7. Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities
  8. 8. Input data into databases
  9. 9. Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination
  10. 10. Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment
  11. 11. Clean, maintain and prepare supplies and work areas
  12. 12. Feed livestock or laboratory animals

Biological Technicians: O*NET ranks Reading Comprehension first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 19-4021 - lead skill Reading Comprehension at 4.0 ; lead knowledge Biology. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Reading Comprehension 4.0
  2. 2. Critical Thinking 3.9
  3. 3. Active Listening 3.8
  4. 4. Science 3.8
  5. 5. Active Learning 3.5
  6. 6. Writing 3.4
  7. 7. Speaking 3.3
  8. 8. Monitoring 3.3

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Biology 4.4
  2. 2. English Language 3.8
  3. 3. Mathematics 3.3
  4. 4. Computers and Electronics 3.2
  5. 5. Chemistry 3.2
  6. 6. Education and Training 2.4
Pay vs Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations peers
-51%
vs mid peer median $117,790
This role $57,510/yr
$58K
National median
↑ +4%
Growth 2024-2034
9,100
Annual openings
69,620
Estimated US jobs
Industrial-Organizational Psychologists
Highest-pay peer · $194K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education Bachelor's degree

Top Paying States for Biological Technicians

1. Maine $60,160
2. New Jersey $66,040
3. New York $61,210
4. Connecticut $62,360
5. North Carolina $61,720
6. District of Columbia $64,770
7. California $71,440
8. Massachusetts $62,070
9. Washington $60,800
10. Colorado $59,400

Other Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations titles

  1. 1. Psychologists, All Other $110,840
  2. 2. Astronomers $128,820
  3. 3. Industrial-Organizational Psychologists $193,950
  4. 4. Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other $101,110
  5. 5. Physical Scientists, All Other $122,570
  6. 6. Economists $124,720

Among Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations peers on this card, Biological Technicians sits 51% below the mid peer median ($117,790). Its own median is $57,510.

Employment Projections expect +4% change between 2024 and 2034 (about as fast as average vs baseline 3.1%). About 9,100 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Maine at $60,160. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Industrial-Organizational Psychologists at $193,950. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Biological Technicians pay-rank #43 in Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations

On the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table (48 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Biological Technicians lands at #43, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Biological Technicians pays 51% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Biological Technicians salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 19-4021

Maine · top state for Biological Technicians

$60K published median

New Jersey · #2 state pay

$66K · behind Maine

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists

Highest-pay peer vs Biological Technicians · $194K

Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other

Lower-pay peer beside Biological Technicians · $101K

Compare Biological Technicians

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Biological Technicians with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Biological Technicians

Against another occupation

Industrial-Organizational Psychologists card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Biological Technicians land on the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations median table? ▼
Biological Technicians is pay-rank #43 of 48 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health ($55K), Chemical Technicians ($60K), Forest and Conservation Technicians ($55K), Occupational Health and Safety Technicians ($62K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do biological technicians do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Biological Technicians. Leading ones include: Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil…; Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties; Participate in the research, development, or manufacturing of medicinal and pharmaceutical preparations; Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for biological technicians? ▼
For SOC 19-4021, O*NET importance scores lead with Reading Comprehension (4.0), Critical Thinking (3.9), Active Listening (3.8), Science (3.8). Knowledge areas emphasize Biology, English Language, Mathematics. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Biological Technicians? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $57,510 as the national median for Biological Technicians. The published 10th-90th range is $40,330 to $84,940. Beside Industrial-Organizational Psychologists ($193,950), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Biological Technicians? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Biological Technicians is +4%. Projected annual openings: about 9,100. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: about as fast as average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Biological Technicians? ▼
BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Biological Technicians. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Biological Technicians? ▼
Maine ($60,160), New Jersey ($66,040), New York ($61,210) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Biological Technicians card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 19-4021. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Biological Technicians. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics