168 metro areas
Biological Technician Salary by City (2026)
Biological technicians earn the most in San Francisco, CA, an average of $99,550 a year, against $61,380 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in San Francisco, CA ($86,110 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.
- US average (mean)
- $61,380BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Highest-paying city
- $99,550San Francisco, CA
- Best after cost of living
- $86,110San Francisco, CA
- Metro areas
- 168With their own estimate
Top cities
Highest-paying cities for biological technicians
Top 10 metro areas
- San Francisco, CA$99,550
- San Jose, CA$78,870
- Boulder, CO$78,250
- Trenton, NJ$74,710
- Los Angeles, CA$71,120
- Bridgeport, CT$70,840
- Bloomington, IN$70,010
- San Diego, CA$69,330
- Sacramento, CA$69,100
- Worcester, MA$68,580
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $99,550 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $78,870 |
| Boulder, CO | $78,250 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $74,710 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $71,120 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $70,840 |
| Bloomington, IN | $70,010 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $69,330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $69,100 |
| Worcester, MA | $68,580 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Mean wage ÷ BEA price level
- San Francisco, CA$99,550 nominal$86,110
- Boulder, CO$78,250 nominal$74,380
- Bloomington, IN$70,010 nominal$73,630
- Peoria, IL$66,410 nominal$72,790
- Trenton, NJ$74,710 nominal$72,410
- San Jose, CA$78,870 nominal$71,430
- Tyler, TX$65,750 nominal$71,350
- Lafayette, IN$66,500 nominal$71,180
- Indianapolis, IN$66,500 nominal$69,490
- Athens, GA$64,810 nominal$69,430
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $86,110 |
| Boulder, CO | $74,380 |
| Bloomington, IN | $73,630 |
| Peoria, IL | $72,790 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $72,410 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $71,430 |
| Tyler, TX | $71,350 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $71,180 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $69,490 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $69,430 |
Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024
Every city
Biological Technician salary in every metro area
Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.
| # | Metro area | Mean | Entry (Level I) | Experienced (Level IV) | At US prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $99,550 | $60,650 | $118,680 | $86,110 |
| 2 | San Jose, CA | $78,870 | $53,620 | $91,310 | $71,430 |
| 3 | Boulder, CO | $78,250 | $45,490 | $94,390 | $74,380 |
| 4 | Trenton, NJ | $74,710 | $54,700 | $84,570 | $72,410 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $71,120 | $49,150 | $81,930 | $62,620 |
| 6 | Bridgeport, CT | $70,840 | $48,860 | $81,660 | $66,290 |
| 7 | Bloomington, IN | $70,010 | $49,210 | $80,250 | $73,630 |
| 8 | San Diego, CA | $69,330 | $49,980 | $78,850 | $61,960 |
| 9 | Sacramento, CA | $69,100 | $47,860 | $79,560 | $64,780 |
| 10 | Worcester, MA | $68,580 | $47,170 | $79,120 | $66,890 |
| 11 | Boston, MA-NH | $67,580 | $49,960 | $76,270 | $62,420 |
| 12 | Norwich, CT | $67,430 | $50,090 | $75,960 | $67,130 |
| 13 | Vallejo, CA | $67,370 | $49,980 | $75,940 | $62,100 |
| 14 | Santa Cruz, CA | $66,730 | $48,260 | $75,840 | $60,720 |
| 15 | Santa Maria, CA | $66,730 | $49,400 | $75,250 | $61,330 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $66,500 | $49,050 | $75,090 | $69,490 |
| 17 | Lafayette, IN | $66,500 | $46,880 | $76,170 | $71,180 |
| 18 | Raleigh, NC | $66,460 | $51,170 | $73,960 | $67,710 |
| 19 | Peoria, IL | $66,410 | $47,650 | $75,650 | $72,790 |
| 20 | Barnstable Town, MA | $65,850 | $49,420 | $73,940 | $66,950 |
| 21 | Tyler, TX | $65,750 | $46,470 | $75,250 | $71,350 |
| 22 | Albany, NY | $65,710 | $46,970 | $74,940 | $66,000 |
| 23 | Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV | $65,520 | $46,740 | $74,760 | $60,170 |
| 24 | Riverside, CA | $65,480 | $44,550 | $75,800 | $61,520 |
| 25 | Bremerton, WA | $65,270 | $46,780 | $74,360 | $61,800 |
| 26 | New York, NY-NJ | $65,190 | $46,300 | $74,480 | $57,910 |
| 27 | Athens, GA | $64,810 | $49,880 | $72,180 | $69,430 |
| 28 | Charlotte, NC-SC | $64,250 | $46,280 | $73,110 | $66,000 |
| 29 | Denver, CO | $64,000 | $48,880 | $71,430 | $60,500 |
| 30 | Seattle, WA | $63,810 | $49,840 | $70,700 | $57,420 |
| 31 | Wilmington, NC | $63,460 | $50,110 | $70,030 | $65,810 |
| 32 | State College, PA | $63,190 | $48,380 | $70,470 | $65,300 |
| 33 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $63,110 | $44,890 | $72,070 | $62,970 |
| 34 | Salinas, CA | $63,090 | $42,910 | $73,030 | $57,860 |
| 35 | Charlottesville, VA | $62,630 | $50,540 | $68,580 | $63,170 |
| 36 | Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,520 | $47,260 | $70,050 | $60,960 |
| 37 | Phoenix, AZ | $62,280 | $48,070 | $69,260 | $60,280 |
| 38 | Richmond, VA | $62,090 | $47,280 | $69,390 | $63,450 |
| 39 | Oxnard, CA | $61,900 | $43,660 | $70,890 | $56,000 |
| 40 | Cleveland, OH | $61,610 | $42,870 | $70,840 | $65,600 |
| 41 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $61,510 | $44,120 | $70,050 | $66,470 |
| 42 | Harrisburg, PA | $60,720 | $41,100 | $70,370 | $61,550 |
| 43 | Columbus, OH | $60,670 | $46,090 | $67,850 | $63,550 |
| 44 | Salt Lake City, UT | $60,570 | $44,820 | $68,310 | $60,050 |
| 45 | Naples, FL | $60,530 | $43,260 | $69,040 | $58,650 |
| 46 | Champaign, IL | $60,380 | $46,900 | $67,040 | $65,130 |
| 47 | Syracuse, NY | $60,360 | $44,370 | $68,220 | $63,040 |
| 48 | Greensboro, NC | $60,090 | $45,390 | $67,330 | $64,710 |
| 49 | Charleston, SC | $60,030 | $44,680 | $67,580 | $59,460 |
| 50 | Jackson, MS | $59,760 | $52,640 | $63,250 | $67,110 |
| 51 | Minneapolis, MN-WI | $59,760 | $44,930 | $67,060 | $57,010 |
| 52 | Portland, ME | $59,680 | $48,260 | $65,290 | $58,590 |
| 53 | Hartford, CT | $59,550 | $44,300 | $67,060 | $57,960 |
| 54 | Anchorage, AK | $59,030 | $45,360 | $65,750 | $56,000 |
| 55 | Chicago, IL-IN | $58,970 | $40,330 | $68,160 | $56,920 |
| 56 | Fort Collins, CO | $58,950 | $45,410 | $65,600 | $58,290 |
| 57 | Stockton, CA | $58,840 | $48,070 | $64,150 | $55,990 |
| 58 | Providence, RI-MA | $58,800 | $43,720 | $66,230 | $57,780 |
| 59 | Lansing, MI | $58,740 | $48,880 | $63,590 | $61,840 |
| 60 | Durham, NC | $58,660 | $43,720 | $66,020 | $60,120 |
| 61 | Portland, OR-WA | $58,640 | $46,130 | $64,770 | $55,620 |
| 62 | Provo, UT | $58,360 | $41,660 | $66,600 | $59,410 |
| 63 | Ogden, UT | $58,340 | $43,990 | $65,420 | $58,140 |
| 64 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $58,320 | $42,740 | $66,000 | $61,330 |
| 65 | Austin, TX | $58,240 | $43,370 | $65,560 | $59,390 |
| 66 | Missoula, MT | $58,180 | $48,610 | $62,900 | $60,320 |
| 67 | Lexington, KY | $57,890 | $43,830 | $64,810 | $62,320 |
| 68 | Roanoke, VA | $57,030 | $41,060 | $64,900 | $60,920 |
| 69 | Asheville, NC | $56,950 | $43,740 | $63,440 | $59,010 |
| 70 | Gulfport, MS | $56,870 | $49,550 | $60,490 | $63,180 |
| 71 | Manchester, NH | $56,660 | $46,920 | $61,440 | $53,630 |
| 72 | Salem, OR | $56,510 | $45,760 | $61,800 | $54,520 |
| 73 | Madison, WI | $56,410 | $45,180 | $61,940 | $57,980 |
| 74 | Yakima, WA | $56,310 | $41,060 | $63,840 | $58,940 |
| 75 | Amherst Town, MA | $56,080 | $43,530 | $62,250 | $55,940 |
| 76 | Eugene, OR | $55,850 | $45,990 | $60,690 | $54,990 |
| 77 | Burlington, NC | $55,810 | $40,040 | $63,590 | $59,880 |
| 78 | Atlanta, GA | $55,720 | $45,450 | $60,800 | $55,690 |
| 79 | Baltimore, MD | $55,700 | $40,440 | $63,210 | $53,310 |
| 80 | Burlington, VT | $55,540 | $47,420 | $59,530 | $55,020 |
| 81 | Olympia, WA | $55,490 | $46,610 | $59,860 | $53,530 |
| 82 | Grand Rapids, MI | $55,450 | $45,450 | $60,380 | $58,030 |
| 83 | Corvallis, OR | $55,350 | $39,710 | $63,070 | $53,210 |
| 84 | Kennewick, WA | $55,350 | $44,600 | $60,630 | $55,310 |
| 85 | San Antonio, TX | $55,350 | $41,770 | $62,050 | $58,440 |
| 86 | Miami, FL | $55,330 | $38,730 | $63,520 | $48,470 |
| 87 | Ithaca, NY | $54,950 | $40,160 | $62,230 | $53,190 |
| 88 | Tucson, AZ | $54,890 | $43,600 | $60,440 | $56,650 |
| 89 | Ann Arbor, MI | $54,870 | $41,580 | $61,440 | $54,390 |
| 90 | Gainesville, GA | $54,850 | $46,740 | $58,840 | $56,680 |
| 91 | Dayton, OH | $54,770 | $39,210 | $62,420 | $59,090 |
| 92 | Fayetteville, NC | $54,770 | $39,420 | $62,340 | $59,550 |
| 93 | Springfield, MA | $54,720 | $43,010 | $60,490 | $56,960 |
| 94 | Savannah, GA | $54,540 | $43,580 | $59,950 | $57,290 |
| 95 | Augusta, GA-SC | $54,290 | $42,450 | $60,110 | $59,070 |
| 96 | New Orleans, LA | $54,140 | $37,290 | $62,460 | $58,470 |
| 97 | Reno, NV | $54,080 | $38,650 | $61,670 | $53,540 |
| 98 | Hagerstown, MD-WV | $54,060 | $47,030 | $57,530 | $57,410 |
| 99 | Fresno, CA | $53,810 | $38,270 | $61,460 | $52,670 |
| 100 | Houston, TX | $53,750 | $39,420 | $60,800 | $54,500 |
| 101 | Toledo, OH | $53,750 | $39,370 | $60,820 | $58,770 |
| 102 | Scranton, PA | $53,710 | $44,660 | $58,160 | $57,410 |
| 103 | Fairbanks, AK | $53,600 | $44,800 | $57,950 | $51,930 |
| 104 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,560 | $40,980 | $59,760 | $53,450 |
| 105 | Iowa City, IA | $53,460 | $45,010 | $57,620 | $58,420 |
| 106 | Bismarck, ND | $53,440 | $37,880 | $61,110 | $58,710 |
| 107 | Wichita, KS | $53,440 | $39,620 | $60,240 | $60,080 |
| 108 | Columbia, MO | $53,390 | $38,650 | $60,650 | $59,690 |
| 109 | Jacksonville, FL | $53,190 | $38,150 | $60,590 | $53,470 |
| 110 | Bozeman, MT | $53,020 | $47,420 | $55,760 | $51,720 |
| 111 | Fayetteville, AR | $52,670 | $44,430 | $56,720 | $57,660 |
| 112 | Gainesville, FL | $52,670 | $36,610 | $60,570 | $54,450 |
| 113 | Hickory, NC | $52,500 | $44,030 | $56,680 | $59,330 |
| 114 | Allentown, PA-NJ | $52,330 | $40,390 | $58,220 | $52,350 |
| 115 | Milwaukee, WI | $52,230 | $40,980 | $57,780 | $53,880 |
| 116 | Tampa, FL | $52,190 | $36,980 | $59,680 | $51,730 |
| 117 | Tulsa, OK | $52,120 | $42,830 | $56,700 | $58,420 |
| 118 | Albuquerque, NM | $52,020 | $45,470 | $55,240 | $54,440 |
| 119 | Grand Junction, CO | $51,920 | $39,850 | $57,840 | $54,380 |
| 120 | Mount Vernon, WA | $51,900 | $44,640 | $55,470 | $50,660 |
| 121 | Warner Robins, GA | $51,900 | $40,310 | $57,620 | $55,340 |
| 122 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $51,830 | $39,210 | $58,050 | $56,230 |
| 123 | Oklahoma City, OK | $51,790 | $40,440 | $57,390 | $57,280 |
| 124 | North Port, FL | $51,670 | $39,120 | $57,840 | $50,450 |
| 125 | Blacksburg, VA | $51,540 | $39,310 | $57,570 | $55,590 |
| 126 | Colorado Springs, CO | $51,460 | $36,960 | $58,610 | $51,100 |
| 127 | Rochester, NY | $51,440 | $39,000 | $57,570 | $53,010 |
| 128 | Omaha, NE-IA | $51,310 | $38,880 | $57,450 | $55,830 |
| 129 | Akron, OH | $51,270 | $37,840 | $57,890 | $54,910 |
| 130 | Pittsburgh, PA | $51,150 | $41,100 | $56,100 | $54,030 |
| 131 | Bellingham, WA | $50,590 | $41,430 | $55,080 | $48,960 |
| 132 | Greenville, SC | $50,560 | $35,710 | $57,870 | $54,210 |
| 133 | Utica, NY | $50,540 | $38,020 | $56,700 | $54,530 |
| 134 | Helena, MT | $50,250 | $46,820 | $51,940 | $52,520 |
| 135 | Medford, OR | $50,170 | $42,520 | $53,960 | $49,460 |
| 136 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $50,130 | $39,250 | $55,470 | $53,860 |
| 137 | Virginia Beach, VA-NC | $50,110 | $39,000 | $55,580 | $51,160 |
| 138 | Dallas, TX | $50,070 | $38,040 | $55,970 | $48,570 |
| 139 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $50,070 | $44,280 | $52,940 | $57,780 |
| 140 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $50,040 | $37,170 | $56,390 | $45,100 |
| 141 | Cape Coral, FL | $49,840 | $36,520 | $56,390 | $48,700 |
| 142 | Reading, PA | $49,820 | $41,140 | $54,100 | $51,330 |
| 143 | Baton Rouge, LA | $49,550 | $33,610 | $57,390 | $54,580 |
| 144 | Lubbock, TX | $49,250 | $33,950 | $56,800 | $53,930 |
| 145 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $49,050 | $35,170 | $55,890 | $51,430 |
| 146 | Orlando, FL | $48,800 | $35,690 | $55,270 | $48,120 |
| 147 | McAllen, TX | $48,760 | $36,210 | $54,930 | $56,770 |
| 148 | Palm Bay, FL | $48,630 | $35,760 | $54,970 | $48,630 |
| 149 | Detroit, MI | $48,610 | $35,030 | $55,290 | $48,470 |
| 150 | Huntsville, AL | $48,480 | $38,690 | $53,310 | $52,090 |
| 151 | Flagstaff, AZ | $48,440 | $40,390 | $52,420 | $48,280 |
| 152 | Kingston, NY | $47,880 | $38,210 | $52,640 | $47,540 |
| 153 | San Juan, PR | $47,760 | $32,070 | $55,470 | N/A |
| 154 | Logan, UT-ID | $47,470 | $34,380 | $53,890 | $49,490 |
| 155 | Little Rock, AR | $47,010 | $35,480 | $52,670 | $52,610 |
| 156 | Brunswick, GA | $46,650 | $40,770 | $49,550 | $53,190 |
| 157 | Houma, LA | $46,380 | $34,240 | $52,350 | $54,500 |
| 158 | Green Bay, WI | $46,320 | $39,870 | $49,480 | $49,760 |
| 159 | Twin Falls, ID | $45,720 | $35,710 | $50,670 | $49,640 |
| 160 | Kahului, HI | $45,640 | $36,090 | $50,340 | $41,720 |
| 161 | Boise City, ID | $45,510 | $37,670 | $49,380 | $46,250 |
| 162 | Visalia, CA | $43,930 | $39,750 | $45,990 | $44,010 |
| 163 | Pensacola, FL | $43,830 | $34,280 | $48,530 | $44,850 |
| 164 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $43,240 | $36,070 | $46,780 | $43,990 |
| 165 | Lakeland, FL | $42,390 | $34,900 | $46,070 | $43,640 |
| 166 | Idaho Falls, ID | $42,040 | $36,190 | $44,930 | $44,530 |
| 167 | Brownsville, TX | $41,330 | $33,340 | $45,260 | $48,070 |
| 168 | College Station, TX | $40,100 | $25,460 | $47,320 | $44,090 |
More
More on biological technicians
Method
About these numbers
- Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
- Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
- OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
- At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.
Questions
Biological Technician salary by city: FAQ
Which city pays biological technicians the most?
San Francisco, CA, where the average (mean) wage is $99,550 a year, followed by San Jose, CA ($78,870), Boulder, CO ($78,250), Trenton, NJ ($74,710). The national mean is $61,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do biological technicians earn the most after cost of living?
Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in San Francisco, CA ($86,110 at national prices, $99,550 nominal), Boulder, CO ($74,380 at national prices, $78,250 nominal), Bloomington, IN ($73,630 at national prices, $70,010 nominal).
How much do biological technicians make in the biggest cities?
New York, NY-NJ: $65,190; Los Angeles, CA: $71,120; Chicago, IL-IN: $58,970; Dallas, TX: $50,070; Houston, TX: $53,750 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).
Where do biological technicians earn the least?
Of the 168 metro areas with their own estimate, College Station, TX has the lowest mean wage, $40,100. At local prices that is worth $44,090.