Best Biological Technician programs in Missouri, ranked by enrollment
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.
47 schools in Missouri run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,530 people a year. The job pays a median of $50,640 in Missouri across about 620 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Missouri that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
14 programs in Missouri that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Missouri (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Missouri page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology/Biological Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 26.0101In Missouri → | 1,669 | 66.0% | 44 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | Neurosciencemain feeder CIP 26.1501In Missouri → | 249 | 9.8% | 6 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 3 | CIP 26.0202In Missouri → | 160 | 6.3% | 11 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 4 | Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biologymain feeder CIP 26.0406In Missouri → | 132 | 5.2% | 4 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 5 | Biomedical Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 26.0102In Missouri → | 104 | 4.1% | 9 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 6 | Bioinformaticsmain feeder CIP 26.1103In Missouri → | 60 | 2.4% | 3 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 7 | Biology/Biotechnology Technology/Technicianmain feeder CIP 41.0101In Missouri → | 57 | 2.3% | 2 | $38,858 | $12,609 |
| 8 | CIP 26.0502In Missouri → | 29 | 1.1% | 2 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 9 | Marine Biology and Biological Oceanographymain feeder CIP 26.1302In Missouri → | 28 | 1.1% | 2 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 10 | Biostatisticsmain feeder CIP 26.1102In Missouri → | 24 | 0.9% | 3 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 11 | CIP 26.0503In Missouri → | 7 | 0.3% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 12 | CIP 26.0204In Missouri → | 6 | 0.2% | 2 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 13 | CIP 26.0508In Missouri → | 4 | 0.2% | 1 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 14 | CIP 26.0801In Missouri → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
Top 25 schools in Missouri
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 23 of the 47 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Missouri - Columbia Columbia, MO Public · 8 feeder programs | 467 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $36,732 | 75% | — | 78% |
| 2 | Washington University in St Louis St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 268 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $24,925 | 94% | $14,126 | 12% |
| 3 | Missouri State University - Springfield Springfield, MO Public · 4 feeder programs | 251 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,717 | 58% | — | 91% |
| 4 | Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs | 237 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,620 | 80% | $24,886 | 75% |
| 5 | University of Missouri - Kansas City Kansas City, MO Public · 3 feeder programs | 223 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $40,483 | 55% | — | 72% |
| 6 | University of Missouri - St Louis Saint Louis, MO Public · 3 feeder programs | 113 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,400 | 57% | — | 63% |
| 7 | Southeast Missouri State University Cape Girardeau, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 93 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,420 | 58% | — | 74% |
| 8 | Logan University Chesterfield, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 80 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 22% | $17,906 | 64% |
| 9 | Kansas City University Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 62 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | — | — | — |
| 10 | Missouri Southern State University Joplin, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 58 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,149 | 42% | — | 97% |
| 11 | University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $34,102 | 54% | — | 64% |
| 12 | Truman State University Kirksville, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 45 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,435 | 69% | — | 84% |
| 13 | Drury University Springfield, MO Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 44 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,699 | 62% | $20,482 | 58% |
| 14 | Northwest Missouri State University Maryville, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 44 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,983 | 54% | — | 86% |
| 15 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 43 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $33,761 | 64% | — | 73% |
| 16 | Maryville University of Saint Louis Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 42 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $29,703 | 66% | $24,921 | 95% |
| 17 | Rockhurst University Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 35 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 75% | $21,890 | 70% |
| 18 | Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 33 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $35,416 | 51% | $25,582 | 57% |
| 19 | Lindenwood University Saint Charles, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 32 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $30,486 | 49% | $17,436 | 57% |
| 20 | Webster University Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 26 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $32,757 | 64% | $25,090 | 86% |
| 21 | Jefferson College Hillsboro, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 21 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 38% | — | — |
| 22 | Columbia College Columbia, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 20 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $37,976 | 42% | $23,247 | — |
| 23 | Harris - Stowe State University Saint Louis, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $31,993 | 28% | — | — |
| 24 | Missouri Western State University Saint Joseph, MO Public · 2 feeder programs | 19 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | $40,936 | 39% | — | — |
| 25 | St Charles Community College Cottleville, MO Public · 1 feeder programs | 18 | Biology/Biological Sciences, General | — | 25% | — | — |
All 47 schools in Missouri
Every school in Missouri with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Missouri - Columbia | Columbia | Public | 467 | 8 |
| Washington University in St Louis | St. Louis | Private not-for-profit | 268 | 7 |
| Missouri State University - Springfield | Springfield | Public | 251 | 4 |
| Saint Louis University | Saint Louis | Private not-for-profit | 237 | 7 |
| University of Missouri - Kansas City | Kansas City | Public | 223 | 3 |
| University of Missouri - St Louis | Saint Louis | Public | 113 | 3 |
| Southeast Missouri State University | Cape Girardeau | Public | 93 | 1 |
| Logan University | Chesterfield | Private not-for-profit | 80 | 1 |
| Kansas City University | Kansas City | Private not-for-profit | 62 | 2 |
| Missouri Southern State University | Joplin | Public | 58 | 2 |
| University of Central Missouri | Warrensburg | Public | 54 | 1 |
| Truman State University | Kirksville | Public | 45 | 1 |
| Drury University | Springfield | Private not-for-profit | 44 | 3 |
| Northwest Missouri State University | Maryville | Public | 44 | 2 |
| Missouri University of Science and Technology | Rolla | Public | 43 | 2 |
What biological technicians earn in Missouri
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $57,510. Missouri pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Missouri
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Biological Technicians page.
How to become a Biological Technician
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Missouri
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 19 majors mapped to Biological Technicians19 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 26.0101Biology/Biological Sciences, General
- 26.0102Biomedical Sciences, General
- 26.0202Biochemistry
- 26.0204Molecular Biology
- 26.0406Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology
- 26.0502Microbiology, General
- 26.0503Medical Microbiology and Bacteriology
- 26.0508Microbiology and Immunology
- 26.0701Zoology/Animal Biology
- 26.0708Animal Behavior and Ethology
- 26.0709Wildlife Biology
- 26.0801Genetics, General
- 26.1102Biostatistics
- 26.1103Bioinformatics
- 26.1104Computational Biology
- 26.1302Marine Biology and Biological Oceanography
- 26.1304Aquatic Biology/Limnology
- 26.1501Neuroscience
- 41.0101Biology/Biotechnology Technology/Technician
Common questions
Answers for people weighing biological technicians programs in Missouri.
What degree do you need to become a Biological Technician?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Biology/Biological Sciences, General, which awarded 1,669 degrees in Missouri in 2024-25, 66.0% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Biological Technician?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 14 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Biochemistry, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, plus 5 more. Together they graduate about 2,530 people a year in Missouri.
How much do biological technicians earn in Missouri?+
The median is $50,640 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 11.9% below the U.S. median of $57,510. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for biological technicians growing?+
BLS projects a +3.5% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 9,100 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Missouri?+
47 institutions in Missouri reported graduates from at least one of the 14 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do biological technicians work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Research Associate, Research Technician, Biological Technician, Laboratory Technician among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-4021.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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