Careers / Biological Technicians

Biological Technicians — Career Decision Dashboard

United States

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Median annual wage

$57,510

United States, 2025

Employment

69,620

United States, 2025

Typical education

Bachelor's Degree

Job Zone 4

Skills identified

35

10 related careers

Career overview

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.

O*NET code
19-4021.00
Job zone
4
Experience required
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

Typical tasks

  • Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
  • Monitor laboratory work to ensure compliance with set standards.
  • Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
  • Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
  • Examine animals and specimens to detect the presence of disease or other problems.
  • Input data into databases.
  • Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.
  • Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.

Choose a location

Salary analysis — United States

$40,330
10th
$48,130
25th
$57,510
Median
$71,520
75th
$84,940
90th

10th percentile

$40,330

25th percentile

$48,130

75th percentile

$71,520

90th percentile

$84,940

Most important skills

  • Reading Comprehension4.0
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Science3.8
  • Critical Thinking3.8
  • Writing3.5
  • Active Learning3.5
  • Monitoring3.4
  • Speaking3.4
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.1
  • Complex Problem Solving3.1
  • Operations Monitoring3.0
  • Mathematics3.0

What skills do you need?

Select the skills you already have

Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.

Skill coverage

0%

0 of 15 identified skills

Matched

0

Missing

15

Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.

Skills to develop

SkillImportanceRequired levelYour levelGap
Reading Comprehension4.04.6Not selected4.6
Active Listening3.94.0Not selected4.0
Critical Thinking3.84.0Not selected4.0
Writing3.53.9Not selected3.9
Active Learning3.53.9Not selected3.9
Science3.83.6Not selected3.6
Monitoring3.43.8Not selected3.8
Speaking3.43.8Not selected3.8
Mathematics3.03.6Not selected3.6
Complex Problem Solving3.13.4Not selected3.4
Judgment and Decision Making3.13.3Not selected3.3
Operations Monitoring3.03.0Not selected3.0
Coordination3.03.0Not selected3.0
Quality Control Analysis3.03.0Not selected3.0
Time Management3.02.9Not selected2.9

Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.

Related careers

How salary varies by location

LocationMedianEmploymentYear
San Francisco, CA$95,2202,6902025
Trenton, NJ$77,1701802025
Tyler, TX$77,020502025
Boulder, CO$75,3901102025
San Jose, CA$72,9407902025
Peoria, IL$72,120502025
CA$71,4409,2102025
Worcester, MA$69,7307402025
San Diego, CA$67,0601,7702025
Los Angeles, CA$66,6101,8302025
Charlottesville, VA$66,5902802025
Santa Cruz, CA$66,240502025
Santa Maria, CA$66,110702025
NJ$66,0401,2902025
Richmond, VA$65,2105002025
Denver, CO$65,1401,4702025
DC$64,7702102025
Norwich, CT$64,600402025
Bloomington, IN$64,570302025
Sacramento, CA$64,4107102025
All locations with published data

Career transition paths

Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Biological Technicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.

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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0.

Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).

Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.