19 Series · SOC 19-4021

Biological Technicians Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$57,510
Median / year
+10.6%
2024→2025
$84,940
Top 10% earn
+3.5%
Growth '24–'34
69,620
Estimated US jobs

Biological Technicians earn a median of $57,510 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $57,510, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $40,330 (10th percentile) to $84,940 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 69,620 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is California ($71,440).

19 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Biological Technicians earn a median of $57,510, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 44% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #43 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.5% by 2034.

$57,510
Median annual wage
Top 56%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#43 of 48
in Life, Physical, and Social Science
2.1×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: California at $71,440. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.

Observed pay change

What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025

May 2019 → May 2025
  • The published national median for Biological Technicians moved from $45,860 in May 2019 to $57,510 in May 2025 (+25.4%).
  • Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
  • Biological Technicians sits +1.0 pp near that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.

Biological Technicians (SOC 19-4021) has a national median of $57,510 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $40,330 to $84,940, and the published mean is $61,380. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 69,620 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 53 state or territory areas and 218 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $52,000 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $57,510 in May 2025, a rise of $5,510 (+10.6%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.5% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as about as fast as average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 9,100 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns Bachelor's degree as typical education needed for entry. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. California pays the highest state median at $71,440, which is +24% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $95,220. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.

BLS OEWS May 2025 69,620 jobs Median $57,510/yr

Median Salary

$57,510

per year

Median Hourly

$27.65/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$61,380

average

Employment

69,620

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Biological Technicians pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$57,510 Bottom 44% higher than 44% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). This entry sits in this band. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000 and above: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $180,000+ every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
Band Count Share
$0–$20,000 0 US occupations 0%
$20,000–$40,000 98 US occupations 12%
$40,000–$60,000 (this entry) 298 US occupations 36%
$60,000–$80,000 209 US occupations 25%
$80,000–$100,000 82 US occupations 10%
$100,000–$120,000 58 US occupations 7%
$120,000–$140,000 32 US occupations 4%
$140,000–$160,000 14 US occupations 2%
$160,000–$180,000 9 US occupations 1%
$180,000 and above 25 US occupations 3%

$57,510 · 44th percentile of 825 US occupations

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Biological Technicians; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Biological Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +3.5% growth and $57,510 median pay. Scatter plot of 24 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000 -5%0%5%10%15% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage Medical Scientists, … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.7% · Median annual wage: $103410Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.5% · Median annual wage: $90150Environmental Scient… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $82220Chemists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.9% · Median annual wage: $91240Clinical and Counsel… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 11.2% · Median annual wage: $100580Life, Physical, and … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $62280Biological Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.5% · Median annual wage: $57510School Psychologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.7% · Median annual wage: $95990Chemical Technicians - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.7% · Median annual wage: $60390Biological Scientist… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 1.2% · Median annual wage: $98920Urban and Regional P… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $89320Social Scientists an… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -1.7% · Median annual wage: $101110Environmental Scienc… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $55090Biochemists and Biop… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 5.8% · Median annual wage: $127410Social Science Resea… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.4% · Median annual wage: $61990Occupational Health … - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 8.5% · Median annual wage: $61560Forest and Conservat… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): -3.2% · Median annual wage: $54560Conservation Scienti… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.4% · Median annual wage: $73010Geoscientists, Excep… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 3.2% · Median annual wage: $101920Physical Scientists,… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 0.6% · Median annual wage: $122570Physicists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4% · Median annual wage: $172250Forensic Science Tec… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 12.8% · Median annual wage: $72060Microbiologists - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.1% · Median annual wage: $87990Psychologists, All O… - Projected growth 2024–2034 (%): 4.3% · Median annual wage: $110840
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Biological Technicians sits on the slower-growing side at +3.5% growth and $57,510 median pay.
Read the chart as text
  • Medical Scientists, …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.7%, Median annual wage $103410
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.5%, Median annual wage $90150
  • Environmental Scient…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $82220
  • Chemists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.9%, Median annual wage $91240
  • Clinical and Counsel…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 11.2%, Median annual wage $100580
  • Life, Physical, and …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $62280
  • Biological Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.5%, Median annual wage $57510
  • School Psychologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.7%, Median annual wage $95990
  • Chemical Technicians: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.7%, Median annual wage $60390
  • Biological Scientist…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 1.2%, Median annual wage $98920
  • Urban and Regional P…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $89320
  • Social Scientists an…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.7%, Median annual wage $101110
  • Environmental Scienc…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $55090
  • Biochemists and Biop…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.8%, Median annual wage $127410
  • Social Science Resea…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.4%, Median annual wage $61990
  • Occupational Health …: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 8.5%, Median annual wage $61560
  • Forest and Conservat…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.2%, Median annual wage $54560
  • Conservation Scienti…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.4%, Median annual wage $73010
  • Geoscientists, Excep…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3.2%, Median annual wage $101920
  • Physical Scientists,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.6%, Median annual wage $122570
  • Physicists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4%, Median annual wage $172250
  • Forensic Science Tec…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 12.8%, Median annual wage $72060
  • Microbiologists: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.1%, Median annual wage $87990
  • Psychologists, All O…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 4.3%, Median annual wage $110840

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+3.5%

About as fast as average

Annual Openings

9,100

per year (projected)

Employment Change

+2,900

82,700 (2024) → 85,600 (2034)

Typical Education

Bachelor's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
Group

Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations context

Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade

Fatality Rate

1.5/100K

Injury Rate

0.7/100

Danger Index

3.6/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Biological Technicians roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Reading Comprehension 4.0
Critical Thinking 3.9
Active Listening 3.8
Science 3.8
Active Learning 3.5
Writing 3.4
Speaking 3.3
Monitoring 3.3
Complex Problem Solving 3.3
Judgment and Decision Making 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Biology 4.4
English Language 3.8
Mathematics 3.3
Computers and Electronics 3.2
Chemistry 3.2
Education and Training 2.4
Administrative 2.2
Law and Government 2.1
Public Safety and Security 2.0
Mechanical 1.9

Key Tasks

  • Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
  • 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.
  • Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
  • Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences.
  • Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
  • Input data into databases.
  • Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.
  • Set up, adjust, calibrate, clean, maintain, and troubleshoot laboratory and field equipment.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

10th$40,330
25th$48,130
Median$57,510
75th$71,520
90th$84,940

Hourly Rate Distribution

10th$19.39
25th$23.14
Median$27.65
75th$34.39
90th$40.84

Biological Technicians pay history, 2015–2025

Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.

$40,000$45,000$50,000$55,000$60,000 20152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 National median - 2015: $41,650National median - 2016: $42,520National median - 2017: $43,800National median - 2018: $44,500National median - 2019: $45,860National median - 2020: $46,340National median - 2021: $48,140National median - 2022: $49,650National median - 2023: $51,430National median - 2024: $52,000National median - 2025: $57,510$57,510
National median annual wage for Biological Technicians, May 2015 to May 2025 OEWS releases
Read the chart as text
Period National median
2015 $41,650
2016 $42,520
2017 $43,800
2018 $44,500
2019 $45,860
2020 $46,340
2021 $48,140
2022 $49,650
2023 $51,430
2024 $52,000
2025 $57,510

2015 median

$41,650

2025 median

$57,510

2019–2025 change (same SOC)

+$11,650 (+25.4%)

Avg/year (same SOC)

+3.8%

Published national median annual wage and estimated employment for Biological Technicians by OEWS release year
Release Median Change Estimated jobs
May 2015 $41,650 First banked release 72,900
May 2016 $42,520 +2.1% 74,720
May 2017 $43,800 +3.0% 74,980
May 2018 $44,500 +1.6% 77,450
May 2019 $45,860 Classification break 79,530
May 2020 $46,340 +1.0% 80,640
May 2021 $48,140 +3.9% 76,150
May 2022 $49,650 +3.1% 73,710
May 2023 $51,430 +3.6% 76,990
May 2024 $52,000 +1.1% 76,190
May 2025 $57,510 +10.6% 69,620

Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $41,650 in May 2015 to $57,510 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +3.8% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 79,530 in May 2019 to 69,620 in May 2025.

Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.

Salary by State

View all 53 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 California $71,440 +24% above national
2 New Jersey $66,040 +15% above national
3 District of Columbia $64,770 +13% above national
4 Connecticut $62,360 +8% above national
5 Massachusetts $62,070 +8% above national
6 North Carolina $61,720 +7% above national
7 New York $61,210 +6% above national
8 Washington $60,800 +6% above national
9 Maine $60,160 +5% above national
10 Colorado $59,400 +3% above national
11 Indiana $58,790 +2% above national
12 Delaware $58,550 +2% above national
13 Mississippi $56,930 1% below national
14 Alaska $56,470 2% below national
15 Illinois $55,790 3% below national
16 New Hampshire $55,540 3% below national
17 North Dakota $55,330 4% below national
18 Pennsylvania $54,950 4% below national
19 Virginia $53,360 7% below national
20 Arizona $53,290 7% below national
21 South Carolina $53,040 8% below national
22 Utah $52,960 8% below national
23 Maryland $52,900 8% below national
24 Georgia $52,420 9% below national
25 Oregon $52,190 9% below national
26 Wisconsin $51,750 10% below national
27 Nevada $51,680 10% below national
28 Kansas $51,630 10% below national
29 West Virginia $51,440 11% below national
30 Vermont $51,190 11% below national
31 Ohio $51,080 11% below national
32 Michigan $51,070 11% below national
33 Tennessee $50,840 12% below national
34 Missouri $50,640 12% below national
35 Texas $50,130 13% below national
36 Montana $49,920 13% below national
37 New Mexico $49,570 14% below national
38 Alabama $49,220 14% below national
39 Kentucky $48,910 15% below national
40 Hawaii $48,770 15% below national
41 Florida $48,700 15% below national
42 Nebraska $48,220 16% below national
43 Minnesota $48,130 16% below national
44 Iowa $48,050 16% below national
45 Oklahoma $47,850 17% below national
46 Louisiana $47,310 18% below national
47 Arkansas $46,930 18% below national
48 Puerto Rico $46,630 19% below national
49 Wyoming $46,480 19% below national
50 Rhode Island $45,530 21% below national
51 Guam $44,950 22% below national
52 Idaho $42,130 27% below national
53 South Dakota $41,300 28% below national

Salary by Metro Area

View all 168 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $95,220 +66% above national
2 Trenton-Princeton, NJ $77,170 +34% above national
3 Tyler, TX $77,020 +34% above national
4 Boulder, CO $75,390 +31% above national
5 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $72,940 +27% above national
6 Peoria, IL $72,120 +25% above national
7 Worcester, MA $69,730 +21% above national
8 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $67,060 +17% above national
9 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $66,610 +16% above national
10 Charlottesville, VA $66,590 +16% above national
11 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $66,240 +15% above national
12 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA $66,110 +15% above national
13 Richmond, VA $65,210 +13% above national
14 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $65,140 +13% above national
15 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT $64,600 +12% above national
16 Bloomington, IN $64,570 +12% above national
17 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $64,410 +12% above national
18 Athens-Clarke County, GA $64,360 +12% above national
19 Champaign-Urbana, IL $64,270 +12% above national
20 Raleigh-Cary, NC $64,200 +12% above national
21 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $63,770 +11% above national
22 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $63,510 +10% above national
23 Syracuse, NY $63,060 +10% above national
24 Wilmington, NC $62,960 +9% above national
25 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $62,780 +9% above national
26 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN $62,630 +9% above national
27 Port St. Lucie, FL $62,070 +8% above national
28 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $62,060 +8% above national
29 State College, PA $62,000 +8% above national
30 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT $61,990 +8% above national
31 Charleston-North Charleston, SC $61,640 +7% above national
32 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $61,610 +7% above national
33 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ $61,280 +7% above national
34 Barnstable Town, MA $61,150 +6% above national
35 Ithaca, NY $60,900 +6% above national
36 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $60,630 +5% above national
37 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $60,580 +5% above national
38 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $60,470 +5% above national
39 Vallejo, CA $60,360 +5% above national
40 Anchorage, AK $60,240 +5% above national
41 Columbus, OH $59,900 +4% above national
42 Greensboro-High Point, NC $59,890 +4% above national
43 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN $59,550 +4% above national
44 Salinas, CA $59,320 +3% above national
45 Naples-Marco Island, FL $59,170 +3% above national
46 Jackson, MS $58,550 +2% above national
47 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $58,400 +2% above national
48 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $58,240 +1% above national
49 Stockton-Lodi, CA $58,070 +1% above national
50 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA $57,840 +1% above national
51 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $57,700 same as national
52 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $57,200 1% below national
53 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $56,850 1% below national
54 Yakima, WA $56,560 2% below national
55 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO $55,700 3% below national
56 St. Louis, MO-IL $55,600 3% below national
57 Roanoke, VA $55,520 3% below national
58 Lansing-East Lansing, MI $55,430 4% below national
59 Lexington-Fayette, KY $54,810 5% below national
60 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX $54,260 6% below national
61 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA $54,190 6% below national
62 Springfield, MA $54,140 6% below national
63 Burlington, NC $53,980 6% below national
64 Manchester-Nashua, NH $53,850 6% below national
65 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA $53,560 7% below national
66 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $53,370 7% below national
67 Missoula, MT $53,330 7% below national
68 Eugene-Springfield, OR $53,290 7% below national
69 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS $53,190 8% below national
70 Portland-South Portland, ME $53,000 8% below national
71 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $52,960 8% below national
72 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC $52,930 8% below national
73 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $52,900 8% below national
74 Kennewick-Richland, WA $52,700 8% below national
75 Cleveland, OH $52,690 8% below national
76 Kansas City, MO-KS $52,630 8% below national
77 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $52,570 9% below national
78 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $52,510 9% below national
79 Asheville, NC $52,440 9% below national
80 Colorado Springs, CO $52,300 9% below national
81 Salem, OR $52,190 9% below national
82 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $52,150 9% below national
83 Ann Arbor, MI $52,110 9% below national
84 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT $51,900 10% below national
85 Ogden, UT $51,780 10% below national
86 Toledo, OH $51,760 10% below national
87 Madison, WI $51,750 10% below national
88 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA $51,710 10% below national
89 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV $51,680 10% below national
90 Corvallis, OR $51,670 10% below national
91 Bismarck, ND $51,630 10% below national
92 Columbia, MO $51,630 10% below national
93 Grand Junction, CO $51,630 10% below national
94 Jacksonville, FL $51,560 10% below national
95 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA $51,320 11% below national
96 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $51,240 11% below national
97 Burlington-South Burlington, VT $51,190 11% below national
98 Memphis, TN-MS-AR $50,840 12% below national
99 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC $50,790 12% below national
100 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH $50,660 12% below national
101 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI $50,580 12% below national
102 Reno, NV $50,540 12% below national
103 Helena, MT $50,430 12% below national
104 Reading, PA $50,400 12% below national
105 Huntsville, AL $50,330 12% below national
106 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI $50,320 13% below national
107 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA $50,320 13% below national
108 Savannah, GA $50,260 13% below national
109 Akron, OH $50,220 13% below national
110 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN $50,210 13% below national
111 New Orleans-Metairie, LA $50,200 13% below national
112 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $50,140 13% below national
113 Urban Honolulu, HI $50,000 13% below national
114 Flagstaff, AZ $49,940 13% below national
115 Gainesville, FL $49,940 13% below national
116 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC $49,730 14% below national
117 Tulsa, OK $49,650 14% below national
118 Albuquerque, NM $49,570 14% below national
119 Tucson, AZ $49,550 14% below national
120 Bozeman, MT $49,470 14% below national
121 Omaha, NE-IA $49,440 14% below national
122 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX $49,430 14% below national
123 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR $49,230 14% below national
124 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL $49,180 14% below national
125 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL $49,160 15% below national
126 Utica-Rome, NY $48,670 15% below national
127 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $48,600 15% below national
128 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $48,510 16% below national
129 Medford, OR $48,420 16% below national
130 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV $48,210 16% below national
131 Grand Forks, ND-MN $48,190 16% below national
132 Iowa City, IA $48,050 16% below national
133 Wichita, KS $47,930 17% below national
134 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL $47,910 17% below national
135 Pittsburgh, PA $47,810 17% below national
136 Rochester, NY $47,670 17% below national
137 Gainesville, GA $47,620 17% below national
138 Fayetteville, NC $47,580 17% below national
139 Kingston, NY $47,530 17% below national
140 Oklahoma City, OK $47,530 17% below national
141 Fairbanks-College, AK $47,380 18% below national
142 Warner Robins, GA $47,350 18% below national
143 Bellingham, WA $47,310 18% below national
144 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL $47,180 18% below national
145 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA $47,110 18% below national
146 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR $46,930 18% below national
147 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX $46,860 19% below national
148 Fresno, CA $46,450 19% below national
149 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $45,750 20% below national
150 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA $45,360 21% below national
151 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $45,290 21% below national
152 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ $44,960 22% below national
153 Baton Rouge, LA $44,950 22% below national
154 Coeur d'Alene, ID $44,550 23% below national
155 Green Bay, WI $42,630 26% below national
156 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR $42,630 26% below national
157 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL $41,450 28% below national
158 Visalia, CA $41,080 29% below national
159 Logan, UT-ID $40,500 30% below national
160 Boise City, ID $40,330 30% below national
161 Idaho Falls, ID $39,080 32% below national
162 Lubbock, TX $38,640 33% below national
163 Twin Falls, ID $38,210 34% below national
164 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX $36,090 37% below national
165 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA $36,090 37% below national
166 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $36,090 37% below national
167 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL $36,050 37% below national
168 College Station-Bryan, TX $34,690 40% below national

Same SOC major group

Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 19 (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.

Showing 5 of 47 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.

Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale

Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($57,510 here) and reported employment (69,620 jobs here).

Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Biological Technicians make?
The median annual salary for Biological Technicians is $57,510 ($27.65/hour). The salary range spans from $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $84,940 at the 90th percentile.
Where does Biological Technicians pay rank nationally?
At a published national median of $57,510, Biological Technicians pay is higher than 44% of the 825 detailed occupations with a published BLS annual median in the May 2025 OEWS release. This compares occupation-level medians, not individual workers, job offers, or this occupation's own worker pay-percentile range.
What state pays Biological Technicians the most?
California pays the highest median salary for Biological Technicians at $71,440/year, which is +24% above the national median.
What education do Biological Technicians need?
BLS assigns Biological Technicians to Bachelor's degree for typical education needed for entry.
Does BLS publish a safety rate for Biological Technicians?
BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for Biological Technicians in this release. WageDex shows the Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations SOC-group rate only as broad context and does not rank it as this occupation's measured rate.
Is Biological Technicians a good career?
Employment for Biological Technicians is projected to grow 3.5% from 2024 to 2034, which is about as fast as average. About 9,100 openings are projected each year.
How does Biological Technicians pay vary by state?
Biological Technicians salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is California at $71,440/year, while South Dakota pays the least at $41,300/year. BLS data covers 53 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Biological Technicians?
The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $95,220/year. BLS reports a median for 168 metropolitan areas for this occupation. The ranking does not establish why values differ.

What to do with this data

How to use Biological Technicians pay figures in a real decision

  • The 75th-percentile wage is about $71,520/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: California leads at $71,440/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.