Best degree programs for Biological Technicians, ranked by enrollment
19 college programs and 1,813 schools train Biological Technicians. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $57,510 median wage, 69,620 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
19 college programs at 1,813 schools train biological technicians, graduating 144,852 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Biology/Biological Sciences, General. The job pays a median of $57,510 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About 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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
19 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology/Biological Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 26.0101 | 90,079 | 62.2% | 1,660 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 2 | Biomedical Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 26.0102 | 12,157 | 8.4% | 312 | $32,152 | $25,000 |
| 3 | Neurosciencemain feeder CIP 26.1501 | 11,787 | 8.1% | 337 | $31,687 | $22,936 |
| 4 | CIP 26.0202 | 10,036 | 6.9% | 593 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 5 | Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biologymain feeder CIP 26.0406 | 4,454 | 3.1% | 105 | $35,393 | $19,961 |
| 6 | Marine Biology and Biological Oceanographymain feeder CIP 26.1302 | 2,636 | 1.8% | 84 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
| 7 | CIP 26.0502 | 2,497 | 1.7% | 109 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 8 | CIP 26.0701 | 1,722 | 1.2% | 48 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 9 | Biostatisticsmain feeder CIP 26.1102 | 1,666 | 1.2% | 90 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 10 | Bioinformaticsmain feeder CIP 26.1103 | 1,606 | 1.1% | 101 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 11 | CIP 26.0204 | 1,352 | 0.9% | 75 | $38,243 | $23,014 |
| 12 | Biology/Biotechnology Technology/Technicianmain feeder CIP 41.0101 | 1,215 | 0.8% | 74 | $38,858 | $12,609 |
| 13 | CIP 26.0503 | 962 | 0.7% | 33 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 14 | CIP 26.0801 | 766 | 0.5% | 38 | $31,800 | $21,424 |
| 15 | CIP 26.0709 | 646 | 0.4% | 26 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 16 | CIP 26.0508 | 477 | 0.3% | 38 | $38,383 | $22,065 |
| 17 | Computational Biologymain feeder CIP 26.1104 | 399 | 0.3% | 29 | $72,338 | $18,500 |
| 18 | CIP 26.0708 | 269 | 0.2% | 12 | $28,266 | $24,393 |
| 19 | Aquatic Biology/Limnologymain feeder CIP 26.1304 | 126 | 0.1% | 9 | $29,460 | $23,480 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
What biological technicians earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $71,440 | 9,210 | 1.13× | 180 | 19,908 |
| Texas | $50,130 | 2,730 | 0.43× | 107 | 12,522 |
| New York | $61,210 | 5,050 | 1.16× | 114 | 9,691 |
| Florida | $48,700 | 3,170 | 0.71× | 48 | 8,708 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,950 | 2,820 | 1.04× | 109 | 6,275 |
| Massachusetts | $62,070 | 8,430 | 5.18× | 66 | 5,561 |
| North Carolina | $61,720 | 2,460 | 1.11× | 57 | 4,839 |
| Ohio | $51,080 | 2,240 | 0.90× | 68 | 4,397 |
| Michigan | $51,070 | 1,160 | 0.59× | 44 | 4,387 |
| Georgia | $52,420 | 860 | 0.39× | 55 | 4,369 |
| Arizona | $53,290 | 830 | 0.57× | 24 | 4,204 |
| Virginia | $53,360 | 1,820 | 0.99× | 41 | 3,844 |
| Illinois | $55,790 | 790 | 0.29× | 52 | 3,741 |
| New Jersey | $66,040 | 1,290 | 0.67× | 36 | 3,233 |
| Maryland | $52,900 | 3,470 | 2.80× | 29 | 3,063 |
| Wisconsin | $51,750 | 1,800 | 1.37× | 33 | 2,889 |
| Indiana | $58,790 | 1,020 | 0.71× | 41 | 2,681 |
| Colorado | $59,400 | 1,990 | 1.55× | 28 | 2,597 |
| Missouri | $50,640 | 620 | 0.47× | 47 | 2,530 |
| Washington | $60,800 | 3,210 | 2.02× | 38 | 2,512 |
| South Carolina | $53,040 | 550 | 0.53× | 32 | 2,369 |
| Alabama | $49,220 | 270 | 0.28× | 24 | 2,241 |
| Minnesota | $48,130 | 1,400 | 1.06× | 46 | 2,019 |
| Tennessee | $50,840 | 1,240 | 0.85× | 37 | 1,994 |
| Louisiana | $47,310 | 190 | 0.22× | 23 | 1,916 |
| Utah | $52,960 | 710 | 0.91× | 11 | 1,632 |
| Connecticut | $62,360 | 650 | 0.85× | 20 | 1,592 |
| Oklahoma | $47,850 | 360 | 0.47× | 42 | 1,447 |
| Mississippi | $56,930 | 330 | 0.64× | 22 | 1,289 |
| Kentucky | $48,910 | 260 | 0.29× | 27 | 1,287 |
| Iowa | $48,050 | 800 | 1.15× | 40 | 1,260 |
| Oregon | $52,190 | 1,590 | 1.81× | 24 | 1,246 |
| Nebraska | $48,220 | 600 | 1.32× | 21 | 906 |
| Maine | $60,160 | 510 | 1.78× | 18 | 888 |
| Kansas | $51,630 | 480 | 0.74× | 25 | 832 |
| Rhode Island | $45,530 | 140 | 0.63× | 8 | 819 |
| Arkansas | $46,930 | 420 | 0.71× | 22 | 803 |
| District of Columbia | $64,770 | 210 | 0.66× | 8 | 798 |
| Nevada | $51,680 | 280 | 0.40× | 6 | 700 |
| Idaho | $42,130 | 450 | 1.16× | 10 | 638 |
| New Mexico | $49,570 | 140 | 0.35× | 15 | 585 |
| New Hampshire | $55,540 | 240 | 0.78× | 14 | 569 |
| West Virginia | $51,440 | 100 | 0.33× | 16 | 527 |
| Hawaii | $48,770 | 830 | 2.96× | 6 | 523 |
| Vermont | $51,190 | 220 | 1.62× | 7 | 502 |
| Delawaremoderate | $58,550 | 180 | 0.82× | 4 | 448 |
| South Dakota | $41,300 | 230 | 1.10× | 9 | 391 |
| Montana | $49,920 | 430 | 1.88× | 10 | 366 |
| North Dakota | $55,330 | 250 | 1.28× | 9 | 296 |
| Wyoming | $46,480 | 190 | 1.53× | 6 | 145 |
| Alaskamoderate | $56,470 | 410 | 2.82× | 3 | 110 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Conduct research, or assist in the conduct of research, including the collection of information and samples, such as blood, water, soil, plants and animals.
- Use computers, computer-interfaced equipment, robotics or high-technology industrial applications to perform work duties.
- Monitor and observe experiments, recording production and test data for evaluation by research personnel.
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results to write reports and summaries of findings.
- Provide technical support and services for scientists and engineers working in fields such as agriculture, environmental science, resource management, biology, and health sciences.
- Keep detailed logs of all work-related activities.
- Input data into databases.
- Isolate, identify and prepare specimens for examination.
Skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Listening3.8
- Science3.8
- Active Learning3.5
- Writing3.4
- Monitoring3.3
- Speaking3.3
Knowledge areas
- Biology4.4
- English Language3.8
- Mathematics3.3
- Computers and Electronics3.2
- Chemistry3.2
- Education and Training2.4
Abilities
- Near Vision3.9
- Oral Comprehension3.9
- Inductive Reasoning3.9
- Information Ordering3.8
- Oral Expression3.8
- Deductive Reasoning3.6
Core activities
- Documenting/Recording Information4.7
- Processing Information4.6
- Analyzing Data or Information4.4
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events4.4
- Getting Information4.2
- Working with Computers4.1
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
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.
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
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
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 90,079 degrees in 2024-25, 62.2% 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 19 programs to this occupation. The largest are Biology, Neurobiology and Neurosciences, Biochemistry, Cell/Cellular Biology and Anatomical Sciences, plus 6 more. Together they graduate about 144,852 people a year.
How much do biological technicians earn?+
The median is $57,510 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $40,330 at the 10th percentile to $84,940 at the 90th. 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?+
1,813 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 19 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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