Biological Technician salary in the U.S.
Biological Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $57,510 a year ($27.65 an hour), based on BLS data for 69,620 workers.
Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $84,940 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $61,380, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for biological technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,330 | $19.39 |
| 25th percentile | $48,130 | $23.14 |
| Median | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| 75th percentile | $71,520 | $34.39 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $84,940 | $40.84 |
| Average (mean) | $61,380 | $29.51 |
Half of biological technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $4,792.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,396.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,211.92 |
| Weekly | $1,105.96 |
| Hourly | $27.65 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Biological Technician salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| California | $71,440 | 9,210 |
| New Jersey | $66,040 | 1,290 |
| District of Columbia | $64,770 | 210 |
| Connecticut | $62,360 | 650 |
| Massachusetts | $62,070 | 8,430 |
| North Carolina | $61,720 | 2,460 |
| New York | $61,210 | 5,050 |
| Washington | $60,800 | 3,210 |
| Maine | $60,160 | 510 |
| Colorado | $59,400 | 1,990 |
| Indiana | $58,790 | 1,020 |
| Delaware | $58,550 | 180 |
| Mississippi | $56,930 | 330 |
| Alaska | $56,470 | 410 |
| Illinois | $55,790 | 790 |
| New Hampshire | $55,540 | 240 |
| North Dakota | $55,330 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,950 | 2,820 |
| Virginia | $53,360 | 1,820 |
| Arizona | $53,290 | 830 |
| South Carolina | $53,040 | 550 |
| Utah | $52,960 | 710 |
| Maryland | $52,900 | 3,470 |
| Georgia | $52,420 | 860 |
| Oregon | $52,190 | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $51,750 | 1,800 |
| Nevada | $51,680 | 280 |
| Kansas | $51,630 | 480 |
| West Virginia | $51,440 | 100 |
| Vermont | $51,190 | 220 |
| Ohio | $51,080 | 2,240 |
| Michigan | $51,070 | 1,160 |
| Tennessee | $50,840 | 1,240 |
| Missouri | $50,640 | 620 |
| Texas | $50,130 | 2,730 |
| Montana | $49,920 | 430 |
| New Mexico | $49,570 | 140 |
| Alabama | $49,220 | 270 |
| Kentucky | $48,910 | 260 |
| Hawaii | $48,770 | 830 |
| Florida | $48,700 | 3,170 |
| Nebraska | $48,220 | 600 |
| Minnesota | $48,130 | 1,400 |
| Iowa | $48,050 | 800 |
| Oklahoma | $47,850 | 360 |
| Louisiana | $47,310 | 190 |
| Arkansas | $46,930 | 420 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,630 | 670 |
| Wyoming | $46,480 | 190 |
| Rhode Island | $45,530 | 140 |
| Guam | $44,950 | 90 |
| Idaho | $42,130 | 450 |
| South Dakota | $41,300 | 230 |
Best-paying metro areas for biological technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $95,220 | 2,690 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $77,170 | 180 |
| Tyler, TX | $77,020 | 50 |
| Boulder, CO | $75,390 | 110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $72,940 | 790 |
| Peoria, IL | $72,120 | 50 |
| Worcester, MA | $69,730 | 740 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $67,060 | 1,770 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $66,610 | 1,830 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $66,590 | 280 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $66,240 | 50 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $66,110 | 70 |
| Richmond, VA | $65,210 | 500 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $65,140 | 1,470 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $64,600 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most biological technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,320 | $61,610 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,270 | $62,780 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,690 | $95,220 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,020 | $63,770 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,950 | $60,630 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 1,830 | $66,610 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,770 | $67,060 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,660 | $50,140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,630 | $63,510 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 1,470 | $65,140 |
| Madison, WI | 1,310 | $51,750 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,040 | $58,400 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 860 | $52,570 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 840 | $60,580 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 810 | $49,180 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 | $29.03 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| Social Science Research Assistant | $61,990 | $29.81 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $72,060 | $34.65 |
| Agricultural Technician | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Food Science Technician | $52,130 | $25.06 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | $25.65 |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 |
| Hydrologic Technician | $64,790 | $31.15 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-4021. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a biological technician make in the U.S.?
The median salary for biological technicians in the U.S. is $57,510 a year, or $27.65 an hour. Pay ranges from $40,330 for the lowest-paid 10% to $84,940 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid biological technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of biological technicians in the U.S. earn at least $84,940 a year. The top 25% earn $71,520 or more.
What is the starting pay for biological technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $40,330 a year, and a quarter of biological technicians earn $48,130 or less.
How many biological technicians work in the U.S.?
About 69,620 biological technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.