Median Salary
$57,510
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$27.65
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$84,940
entry level starts ~$40,330
Pay Grade
C+
modest pay · 70,000 employed
How much does a Biological Technician make?
Biological Technicians in the United States bring home a median salary of $57,510 a year, or around $27.65 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $40,330, while the top 10% earn $84,940.
That is $3,880 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Biological Technician salary range by percentile
Half of all Biological Technicians earn between $48,130 and $71,520 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $40,330 | $19.39 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $48,130 | $23.14 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $57,510 | $27.65 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $71,520 | $34.38 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $84,940 | $40.84 |
|
Highest-paying states for Biological Technician
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. California leads the country for Biological Technician pay at $71,440 a year, followed by New Jersey ($66,040) and District of Columbia ($64,770). At the other end, South Dakota posts the lowest median at $41,300 — a gap of $30,140 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Biological Technician salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
California $71,440New Jersey $66,040District of Columbia $64,770Connecticut $62,360Massachusetts $62,070North Carolina $61,720New York $61,210Washington $60,800Maine $60,160Colorado $59,400Indiana $58,790Delaware $58,550Mississippi $56,930Alaska $56,470Illinois $55,790New Hampshire $55,540North Dakota $55,330Pennsylvania $54,950Virginia $53,360Arizona $53,290South Carolina $53,040Utah $52,960Maryland $52,900Georgia $52,420Oregon $52,190Wisconsin $51,750Nevada $51,680Kansas $51,630West Virginia $51,440Vermont $51,190Ohio $51,080Michigan $51,070Tennessee $50,840Missouri $50,640Texas $50,130Montana $49,920New Mexico $49,570Alabama $49,220Kentucky $48,910Hawaii $48,770Florida $48,700Nebraska $48,220Minnesota $48,130Iowa $48,050Oklahoma $47,850Louisiana $47,310Arkansas $46,930Wyoming $46,480Rhode Island $45,530Idaho $42,130South Dakota $41,300
Workforce and education
About 70,000 people work as Biological Technicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $61,380 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Biological Technician make in the United States?
The median Biological Technician salary in the United States is $57,510 per year, or about $27.65 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $40,330, while the top 10% of earners make $84,940 or more.
How does Biological Technician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of C+ (modest pay), the Biological Technician median of $57,510 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Biological Technicians the most?
California is the highest-paying state for Biological Technicians, with a median salary of $71,440 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Biological Technician?
Becoming a Biological Technician typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Biological Technicians work in the United States?
About 70,000 people were employed as Biological Technicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
Related salaries
Other science roles with similar pay.
$76,750
median pay · 3,000 employed
$53,350
median pay · 7,000 employed
$78,850
median pay · 16,000 employed
$60,390
median pay · 58,000 employed
$55,090
median pay · 35,000 employed
$69,460
median pay · 8,000 employed
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.