Biological Tech Training and Jobs
Schools and Degrees
Technical Professionals in the life sciences are expected to possess a four year bachelor's degree, though some positions are available for people without these degrees.
Training and Education
Expect to get a bachelor's degree for this occupation. The share of employees with a bachelor's degree or higher is 60%. About 26% of biological techs got additional education after high school, but did not have to get a college degree. There was no need to go beyond high school for 14% of workers.
Job Overview
Biological technicians are responsible for assisting biological scientists. They help the scientists by setting up and maintaining laboratory instruments and equipment. They monitor the experiments that are conducted, make observations, and also record the results. They are also referred to as biological science laboratory technicians, and research assistants.
Job Requirements
Along with the training that these individuals receive when they complete the degree programs, they have to obtain additional training in the field. This training is obtained through on-the-job or vocational training. In some cases it is a combination of the two.
They have to possess adequate knowledge about animal and plant organisms with regard to their interdependencies, interactions and also their anatomical and cellular structures. They should also possess knowledge about the chemical composition of substances and the chemical transformations that take place when the chemicals interact. Knowledge of the safe production and disposal methods of common reagents is also required. In addition to the skills mentioned, they should also possess English language and mathematical skills. These professionals have to solve problems using scientific rules and therefore they should possess logical reasoning skills.
Nature of Work
Life science professionals assist experts in their research by collecting data and samples such as blood, water, and plants. After collecting the data, they analyze it and prepare reports and summaries. They are often required to maintain logs of the tests and experiments conducted.
Biological technicians often use equipment like temperature cycling chambers, robotic or automated liquid handling systems, microplate readers, hematology cell counters, coulter counters, automated cell counters, and light/tissue culture microscopes. They have to use software like Systat Software Table Curve and BD Biosciences CellQuest.
Area Job Conditions
Ames (Iowa), Durham (North Carolina), and Athens (Georgia) boast the most employees for their size population. Orlando (Florida), Fort Worth (Texas), and Virginia Beach (Virginia) have the fewest.
The highest salaries for biological techs are in and around Wilmington (Delaware), Lowell (Massachusetts), and San Jose (California). The lowest-paying areas are Austin (Texas), South Bend (Indiana), and Idaho Falls (Idaho).
Part-Time and Self Employment
It is estimated that 6% of biological techs work less than full time.
Career Videos
Biological Techs by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Alabama
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston | $44,000 | 30 | +92% |
| Auburn | $42,000 | 80 | +431% |
Alaska
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage | $34,000 | 130 | +105% |
| Fairbanks | $37,000 | 110 | +936% |
Arizona
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff | $35,000 | 140 | +613% |
| Phoenix | $41,000 | 350 | -50% |
Arkansas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | $36,000 | 70 | -48% |
California
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakersfield | $39,000 | 50 | -50% |
| Fresno | $36,000 | 130 | +5% |
| Los Angeles | $47,000 | 1,850 | +15% |
| Modesto | $34,000 | 170 | +191% |
| Oakland | $51,000 | 1,460 | +270% |
| Riverside | $38,000 | 350 | -26% |
| Sacramento | $42,000 | 390 | +14% |
| Salinas | $44,000 | 60 | -1% |
| San Diego | $47,000 | 2,400 | +364% |
| San Francisco | $63,000 | 1,420 | +262% |
| San Jose | $51,000 | 1,130 | +219% |
| Santa Ana | $42,000 | 310 | -46% |
| Santa Barbara | $43,000 | 70 | +10% |
| Santa Rosa | $49,000 | 40 | -39% |
| Vallejo | $40,000 | 70 | +58% |
Colorado
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $46,000 | 100 | +73% |
| Fort Collins | $37,000 | 260 | +456% |
Connecticut
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hartford | $53,000 | 170 | -25% |
| New Haven | $51,000 | 370 | +252% |
| Waterbury | $46,000 | 100 | +316% |
Delaware
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $44,000 | 200 | +58% |
District of Columbia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $47,000 | 1,400 | +45% |
Florida
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $38,000 | 110 | -60% |
| Gainesville | $34,000 | 270 | +499% |
| Jacksonville | $34,000 | 90 | -62% |
| Lakeland | $35,000 | 50 | -30% |
| Miami | $40,000 | 120 | -69% |
| Palm Bay | $34,000 | 40 | -47% |
| Pensacola | $33,000 | 30 | -46% |
| Port St Lucie | $37,000 | 120 | +172% |
| Sebastian | $39,000 | 30 | +85% |
| Tampa | $38,000 | 140 | -69% |
Georgia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gainesville | $33,000 | 110 | +344% |
Idaho
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls | $27,000 | 140 | +774% |
| Lewiston | $28,000 | 60 | +714% |
Illinois
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $45,000 | 1,300 | -13% |
Indiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | $35,000 | 80 | +23% |
| Gary | $35,000 | 70 | -33% |
| Lafayette | $37,000 | 300 | +1008% |
Iowa
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ames | $39,000 | 320 | +2471% |
Kentucky
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington | $32,000 | 320 | +246% |
Louisiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $42,000 | 220 | +51% |
| New Orleans | $33,000 | 140 | -33% |
Maine
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bangor | $37,000 | 70 | +225% |
| Portland | $39,000 | 50 | -35% |
Maryland
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $43,000 | 680 | +31% |
| Bethesda | $52,000 | 1,170 | +415% |
Massachusetts
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barnstable Town | $46,000 | 180 | +394% |
| Boston | $49,000 | 3,730 | +441% |
| Framingham | $52,000 | 480 | +677% |
| Worcester | $44,000 | 420 | +333% |
Michigan
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lansing | $39,000 | 40 | -47% |
| Warren | $39,000 | 120 | -72% |
Minnesota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | $39,000 | 90 | +86% |
| Minneapolis | $38,000 | 490 | -31% |
| Rochester | $63,000 | 400 | +961% |
Missouri
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | $37,000 | 120 | +316% |
| Kansas City | $39,000 | 220 | -45% |
| St Louis | $45,000 | 140 | -74% |
Montana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula | $32,000 | 70 | +286% |
Nebraska
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $34,000 | 160 | +164% |
| Omaha | $37,000 | 200 | +8% |
New Hampshire
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashua | $46,000 | 50 | -3% |
| Rochester | $42,000 | 40 | +114% |
New Jersey
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | $45,000 | 90 | -56% |
| Edison | $47,000 | 580 | +43% |
| Newark | $43,000 | 500 | +26% |
| Trenton | $43,000 | 130 | +49% |
New Mexico
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $37,000 | 50 | -67% |
New York
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | $42,000 | 900 | +409% |
| Ithaca | $46,000 | 30 | +117% |
| New York | $43,000 | 910 | -56% |
| Poughkeepsie | $39,000 | 50 | -47% |
| Rochester | $37,000 | 130 | -35% |
North Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | $35,000 | 40 | -88% |
| Durham | $46,000 | 570 | +433% |
| Raleigh | $43,000 | 380 | +87% |
North Dakota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck | $34,000 | 60 | +159% |
Ohio
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akron | $34,000 | 50 | -60% |
| Cincinnati | $38,000 | 660 | +65% |
| Cleveland | $37,000 | 580 | +43% |
| Columbus | $37,000 | 420 | +15% |
| Dayton | $40,000 | 90 | -40% |
| Toledo | $42,000 | 110 | -4% |
Oklahoma
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $33,000 | 480 | +111% |
Oregon
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eugene | $37,000 | 160 | +203% |
| Medford | $36,000 | 70 | +151% |
| Portland | $38,000 | 1,190 | +194% |
Pennsylvania
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | $38,000 | 180 | +33% |
| Philadelphia | $48,000 | 1,900 | +151% |
| Pittsburgh | $36,000 | 680 | +50% |
| Reading | $39,000 | 60 | -5% |
| Scranton | $41,000 | 40 | -60% |
Rhode Island
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $40,000 | 90 | -59% |
South Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $41,000 | 200 | +79% |
| Greenville | $41,000 | 80 | -31% |
South Dakota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rapid City | $29,000 | 50 | +122% |
Tennessee
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $41,000 | 70 | -46% |
| Nashville | $34,000 | 200 | -32% |
Texas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $36,000 | 590 | +90% |
| College Station | $34,000 | 130 | +286% |
| Fort Worth | $36,000 | 90 | -74% |
| Houston | $36,000 | 610 | -42% |
| Lubbock | $30,000 | 80 | +70% |
| Mcallen | $35,000 | 150 | +70% |
| San Antonio | $40,000 | 290 | -16% |
Utah
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logan | $33,000 | 70 | +331% |
| Provo | $28,000 | 40 | -38% |
| Salt Lake City | $37,000 | 250 | +4% |
Virginia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg | $42,000 | 30 | +40% |
| Charlottesville | $47,000 | 80 | +155% |
| Harrisonburg | $59,000 | 70 | +258% |
| Richmond | $44,000 | 120 | -50% |
| Virginia Beach | $35,000 | 70 | -77% |
Washington
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick | $38,000 | 110 | +199% |
| Mount Vernon | $34,000 | 40 | +165% |
| Seattle | $43,000 | 2,160 | +289% |
| Tacoma | $38,000 | 240 | +135% |
Wisconsin
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay | $29,000 | 70 | +10% |
| La Crosse | $31,000 | 30 | +17% |
| Madison | $34,000 | 410 | +211% |
| Milwaukee | $39,000 | 150 | -54% |