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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-4021 Biological Technicians

Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.


National estimates for Biological Technicians
Industry profile for Biological Technicians
Geographic profile for Biological Technicians

National estimates for Biological Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Biological Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
73,710 1.8 % $ 25.75 $ 53,560 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Biological Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.10 $ 18.77 $ 23.87 $ 30.32 $ 38.03
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,480 $ 39,040 $ 49,650 $ 63,060 $ 79,110


Industry profile for Biological Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Biological Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Biological Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Biological Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 22,280 2.57 $ 27.55 $ 57,310
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 15,040 0.50 $ 23.33 $ 48,530
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 8,170 0.39 $ 22.50 $ 46,800
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 7,890 2.38 $ 31.73 $ 65,990
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 5,380 0.10 $ 26.52 $ 55,150

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Biological Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 22,280 2.57 $ 27.55 $ 57,310
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 7,890 2.38 $ 31.73 $ 65,990
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 15,040 0.50 $ 23.33 $ 48,530
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 1,110 0.41 $ 27.46 $ 57,120
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 1,270 0.40 $ 25.76 $ 53,570

Top paying industries for Biological Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 460 0.02 $ 32.08 $ 66,720
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 7,890 2.38 $ 31.73 $ 65,990
Computer Systems Design and Related Services (8) (8) $ 29.15 $ 60,640
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 130 0.03 $ 28.51 $ 59,300
Scientific Research and Development Services 22,280 2.57 $ 27.55 $ 57,310


Geographic profile for Biological Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Biological Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Biological Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of biological technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Biological Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 10,510 0.60 1.20 $ 30.64 $ 63,730
Pennsylvania 4,690 0.81 1.62 $ 28.45 $ 59,180
Massachusetts 4,560 1.28 2.57 $ 30.52 $ 63,490
Texas 4,420 0.34 0.68 $ 22.79 $ 47,400
New York 4,100 0.45 0.90 $ 27.11 $ 56,400


Map of location quotient of biological technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Biological Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska 510 1.66 3.33 $ 24.83 $ 51,640
Oregon 2,980 1.57 3.16 $ 24.94 $ 51,870
Maryland 3,550 1.35 2.70 $ 25.22 $ 52,450
Hawaii 790 1.32 2.66 $ 20.21 $ 42,050
Montana 640 1.30 2.61 $ 18.12 $ 37,690


Map of annual mean wages of biological technicians by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Biological Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 10,510 0.60 1.20 $ 30.64 $ 63,730
Massachusetts 4,560 1.28 2.57 $ 30.52 $ 63,490
Connecticut 930 0.57 1.15 $ 30.14 $ 62,700
New Jersey 1,620 0.39 0.79 $ 29.26 $ 60,860
Pennsylvania 4,690 0.81 1.62 $ 28.45 $ 59,180



Map of employment of biological technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Biological Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,790 1.40 2.81 $ 31.14 $ 64,780
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,730 1.56 3.13 $ 34.78 $ 72,330
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,110 0.34 0.68 $ 28.45 $ 59,170
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,890 1.04 2.09 $ 30.96 $ 64,400
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 2,660 1.79 3.59 $ 28.19 $ 58,630
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 2,120 1.04 2.08 $ 26.55 $ 55,230
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 2,070 1.33 2.67 $ 24.26 $ 50,470
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 1,900 1.61 3.24 $ 26.43 $ 54,970
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,750 0.57 1.15 $ 24.53 $ 51,010
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 1,480 0.34 0.67 $ 26.52 $ 55,170


Map of location quotient of biological technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Biological Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Corvallis, OR 280 7.57 15.20 $ 23.41 $ 48,690
Athens-Clarke County, GA 560 6.39 12.83 $ 27.70 $ 57,610
Iowa City, IA 560 6.14 12.32 $ 24.22 $ 50,370
Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA 320 4.56 9.15 $ 22.61 $ 47,020
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 1,430 4.38 8.78 $ 22.70 $ 47,210
Ames, IA 190 4.09 8.20 $ 25.97 $ 54,020
College Station-Bryan, TX 380 3.07 6.17 $ 19.91 $ 41,420
East Stroudsburg, PA 120 2.20 4.41 $ 32.05 $ 66,660
Idaho Falls, ID 160 2.13 4.27 $ 16.34 $ 33,990
Fairbanks, AK 70 2.05 4.11 $ 23.50 $ 48,870


Map of annual mean wages of biological technicians by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Biological Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 3,730 1.56 3.13 $ 34.78 $ 72,330
Winchester, VA-WV 30 0.52 1.04 $ 33.23 $ 69,120
New Haven, CT 500 1.75 3.52 $ 32.06 $ 66,680
East Stroudsburg, PA 120 2.20 4.41 $ 32.05 $ 66,660
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 3,790 1.40 2.81 $ 31.14 $ 64,780
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 740 0.66 1.33 $ 31.14 $ 64,770
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 90 0.23 0.46 $ 31.07 $ 64,630
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 2,890 1.04 2.09 $ 30.96 $ 64,400
Richmond, VA 430 0.69 1.38 $ 29.95 $ 62,290
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 1,440 0.48 0.95 $ 29.89 $ 62,170

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Biological Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 370 0.97 1.95 $ 19.20 $ 39,940
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 280 2.76 5.55 $ 23.03 $ 47,900
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 250 2.44 4.90 $ 25.00 $ 52,000
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 220 2.18 4.38 $ 27.53 $ 57,260
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area 190 1.72 3.46 $ 19.37 $ 40,300

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Biological Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 280 2.76 5.55 $ 23.03 $ 47,900
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 250 2.44 4.90 $ 25.00 $ 52,000
Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area 160 2.31 4.63 $ 20.48 $ 42,610
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 220 2.18 4.38 $ 27.53 $ 57,260
West Montana nonmetropolitan area 150 1.94 3.89 $ 19.05 $ 39,620

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Biological Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
West Central-Southwest New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area 220 2.18 4.38 $ 27.53 $ 57,260
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 60 0.25 0.50 $ 25.50 $ 53,050
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 250 2.44 4.90 $ 25.00 $ 52,000
Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 50 0.54 1.09 $ 24.79 $ 51,560
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 40 0.39 0.78 $ 24.66 $ 51,290


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023