A medical lab technician salary calculator converts lab pay between hourly, weekly, biweekly, monthly and annual amounts, then compares it with official wage data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics combines clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in one code. Their median wage was $30.26 an hour, or $62,930 a year, in May 2025.
Annual gross pay
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How to Use the Medical Lab Technician Salary Calculator
- Choose hourly rate or annual salary, the way your laboratory quotes base pay.
- Enter your base pay, your hours per week and your weeks per year. Add other annual pay or a second offer if you have them.
- Read your annual gross pay, the pay-period amounts and where your hourly pay sits in the BLS wage table.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Annual gross pay | Base pay for the year plus any other annual pay you entered, before tax. |
| Monthly, biweekly, weekly | Annual gross pay divided by 12, 26 and 52. |
| Hourly | Base pay per paid hour. This is the number compared with BLS. |
| BLS percentile band | The two published BLS percentiles your hourly pay falls between. |
| Approximate percentile | A straight-line estimate between those two percentiles. BLS does not publish it. |
| Gap to BLS median | Your hourly pay minus the BLS median hourly wage, in dollars and percent. |
| Full-time equivalent | Your hourly pay times 2,080 hours, the work year BLS uses for annual wages. |
| Second offer rows | The second offer as annual and hourly pay, its percentile and the yearly difference. |
The first preset is an example, not a typical wage. It shows a lab technician paid $26.00 an hour for 40 hours a week. That is $54,080.00 a year, about the 36th percentile of the combined group. BLS does not publish a wage table for technicians alone.
What Is a Medical Lab Technician Salary?
A medical lab technician salary is the gross pay a clinical laboratory technician earns in a year, before tax and deductions. BLS reports it inside a combined occupation: 29-2010, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians.
Why the BLS Figures Combine Two Jobs
The BLS profile states that code 29-2010 includes two occupations: 29-2011, medical and clinical laboratory technologists, and 29-2012, medical and clinical laboratory technicians. The May 2025 release lists no separate wage table for either one. Every BLS figure on this page therefore covers both jobs.
BLS explains the difference in duties. Technologists, also known as medical laboratory scientists, perform more complex tests and procedures. Technicians perform routine tests that may be more automated, and they usually work under a technologist or a laboratory manager.
| Fact | Value (BLS, combined group) |
|---|---|
| Typical entry education | Bachelor degree for the group. Technicians sometimes qualify with an associate degree. |
| Licence or certification | Some states require a licence. Employers may prefer certified staff. |
| Jobs in 2025 | 343,000 |
| Projected growth, 2025 to 2035 | 3%, about as fast as the average for all occupations |
| Openings each year | About 20,800 |
| Work schedule | Most work full time. Shifts can include nights, weekends or holidays. |
These facts come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, read on 2026-10-02. BLS notes that some technicians advance to technologist positions after more experience and education.
This tool is for lab technicians and students checking an offer or a shift. It is not a pay quote from any employer.
How Does the Medical Lab Technician Salary Calculator Work?
The calculator converts your pay between time periods, then places your hourly pay in the BLS wage distribution for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.
Annual pay = hourly rate x hours per week x weeks per yearApproximate percentile = P1 + (your hourly - W1) / (W2 - W1) x (P2 - P1)- Convert. An hourly rate is multiplied by hours and weeks. A salary is divided by them to get pay per hour.
- Add other pay. Overtime, differentials and bonuses you typed are added to the annual total only.
- Find the band. Your base hourly pay is checked against the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages.
- Interpolate. W1 and W2 are the two BLS wages around your pay. P1 and P2 are their percentiles.
- Measure the gap. Your hourly pay minus the median, then divided by the median.
The table below is the full BLS wage table the tool uses. It covers technologists and technicians together, because that is the only series BLS publishes.
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (SOC 29-2010) | Hourly wage | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $18.71 | $38,910 |
| 25th percentile | $22.91 | $47,650 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $30.26 | $62,930 |
| 75th percentile | $39.16 | $81,450 |
| 90th percentile | $48.55 | $100,990 |
| Mean (average) | $32.38 | $67,350 |
| Employment | 332,940 jobs | |
Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS annual wages equal the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. That is 40 hours for 52 weeks. The comparison uses hourly pay so that part-time and long-shift schedules are judged fairly.
Medical Lab Technician Salary Example: Night Shift Pay
A hospital lab technician earns $24.50 an hour for 40 hours a week. Night differentials add $3,100 a year. A reference laboratory offers $27.00 an hour on day shift.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Base annual pay | 24.50 x 40 x 52 | $50,960.00 |
| Annual gross pay | 50,960.00 + 3,100.00 | $54,060.00 |
| Monthly | 54,060.00 / 12 | $4,505.00 |
| Biweekly | 54,060.00 / 26 | $2,079.23 |
| BLS band | 24.50 is between 22.91 and 30.26 | 25th to 50th percentile |
| Approximate percentile | 25 + (24.50 - 22.91) / (30.26 - 22.91) x 25 | About the 30th |
| Gap to median | 24.50 - 30.26 | -$5.76 an hour (-19.0%) |
| Full-time equivalent | 24.50 x 2,080 | $50,960.00 |
| Second offer | 27.00 x 40 x 52 | $56,160.00, +$5,200.00 a year |
| Second offer percentile | Same method on 27.00 | About the 39th |
His base rate sits at about the 30th percentile of the combined group. The offer adds $5,200.00 in base pay, which is more than the $3,100 of night differentials he would lose. The percentile compares him with technologists as well as technicians, so read it as a position in the whole laboratory workforce.
Factors That Change Medical Lab Technician Pay
Technician or Technologist
The combined code spans two job levels. Its wage range is wide: the 10th percentile is $18.71 an hour and the 90th is $48.55. BLS does not publish how much of that range belongs to technicians. This page does not guess a split.
Work Setting
Private general hospitals employ 36% of the group and have the highest median wage of the five largest employer types.
| Employer type | Share of jobs, 2025 | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| General medical and surgical hospitals; private | 36% | $69,190 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 19% | $58,320 |
| Offices of physicians | 10% | $56,850 |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 4% | $63,690 |
| Other ambulatory healthcare services | 4% | $48,140 |
Largest employers of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians and their median wages. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025 wages. Read on 2026-10-02.
State
New York has the highest annual mean wage at $93,610. That is $26,260 above the national mean.
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| New York | $93,610 |
| Oregon | $83,990 |
| District of Columbia | $81,650 |
| Vermont | $80,100 |
| California | $78,840 |
The five states with the highest annual mean wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Metro Area
San Jose, California leads all areas at $97,190. Three of the top five areas include parts of New York State.
| Metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $97,190 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $94,370 |
| Kingston, NY | $94,100 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $93,410 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $93,240 |
The five areas with the highest annual mean wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Shift Differentials and Overtime
BLS wages exclude overtime pay and shift differentials. Add them in the other annual pay field. The overtime pay calculator works out overtime from your hours.
Paid Hours
BLS annual wages assume 2,080 hours. Enter your real paid hours for a part-time post. The salary to hourly calculator does the same conversion without the BLS comparison.
Medical Lab Technician Pay Compared Across Industries
One wholesale industry pays the combined group the highest mean wage, $105,070 a year. That is $37,720 above the national mean of $67,350.
| Industry | Annual mean wage | Versus national mean |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $105,070 | +$37,720 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $87,830 | +$20,480 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | $82,780 | +$15,430 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $82,270 | +$14,920 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $80,780 | +$13,430 |
The five industries with the highest annual mean wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Treat the top two rows with care. BLS reports a relative standard error of 10.5% for the wholesale figure and 25.9% for social advocacy organizations. Both are small employers of laboratory staff.
Mean vs Median
The mean annual wage is $67,350 and the median is $62,930. The mean is $4,420 higher, because wages stretch further above the median than below it.
The Same Data on the Lab Scientist Page
Medical laboratory scientists are the technologists in this BLS code. The clinical lab scientist salary calculator on this site covers that job title. Both pages rest on the same combined BLS code.
When to Use the Medical Lab Technician Salary Calculator
Comparing a Hospital Lab and a Reference Lab
Enter one offer as base pay and the other as the second offer. The tool shows both percentiles and the yearly difference on the same hours.
Pricing a Night or Weekend Shift
Keep the day rate as base pay. Put the yearly differential in the other annual pay field. The annual total rises, and the percentile stays tied to the base rate.
Planning a Step Up to Technologist
The 75th percentile of the combined group is $39.16 an hour. Type a target rate to see the yearly pay it gives on your hours.
Budgeting After Tax
The result is gross pay. Read the gross vs net income guide before you plan a budget from it.
Common Mistakes with Medical Lab Technician Pay Comparisons
1. Reading the Combined Median as a Technician Median
The $62,930 median covers technologists and technicians together. BLS does not publish a wage table for technicians alone.
2. Quoting a Wage for Code 29-2012
The May 2025 BLS wage release has no table for 29-2012. A page that quotes one is not citing current BLS wage data.
3. Adding Shift Differentials to the Base Rate
Differentials are not part of the BLS wage. Putting them in base pay inflates your percentile.
4. Reading the National Figure as a Local Rate
The mean in New York is $93,610 against $67,350 nationally. The percentile on this page uses national data only.
5. Trusting a Small-Sample Industry Figure
An industry mean with a 25.9% relative standard error is a rough estimate. The national percentiles are far more precise.
Accuracy and Limitations
The conversion is exact arithmetic. The percentile is an estimate, because BLS publishes only five points of the wage distribution.
What it calculates accurately
- Annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly gross pay from your own figures.
- The BLS percentile band your hourly pay falls in.
- The dollar and percent gap to the BLS national median.
- The yearly difference between two offers on the same schedule.
What it does not account for
- Federal, state and local tax, or any payroll deduction.
- Your state, metro area, employer, experience or specialty.
- Benefits such as health insurance, retirement match and paid leave.
- Wages after May 2025. BLS updates the survey once a year.
- A technician-only wage. BLS combines technologists and technicians in code 29-2010, so the comparison group includes both.
- Certification, experience and shift premiums. The old tool on this page used invented multipliers for them.
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Keep those in the other annual pay field so the comparison stays like for like.
How We Calculate Medical Lab Technician Pay and Percentiles
Frequently Asked Questions About Medical Lab Technician Salaries
How much do medical lab technicians make an hour?
BLS reports a median hourly wage of $30.26 for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians together in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $18.71 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48.55.
What is the median medical lab technician salary?
The median annual wage for the combined group was $62,930 in May 2025. BLS does not publish a median for technicians alone.
Does BLS publish separate pay for lab technicians and technologists?
No. The May 2025 wage release has one code, 29-2010, for both. The profile says it includes occupations 29-2011 and 29-2012.
What is the difference between a lab technician and a lab technologist?
Technologists perform more complex tests and typically hold a bachelor degree. Technicians perform routine tests, often automated, and sometimes qualify with an associate degree. BLS describes both on one handbook page.
What do the highest paid laboratory workers earn?
Workers at the 90th percentile of the combined group earned $100,990 a year in May 2025. Those at the 75th percentile earned $81,450.
What is a low wage for a lab technician?
A wage below $18.71 an hour, or $38,910 a year, is in the lowest 10 percent of the combined group. The 25th percentile is $22.91 an hour.
Which state pays laboratory technicians the most?
New York pays the combined group the highest annual mean wage, $93,610. Oregon, the District of Columbia, Vermont and California are the next four.
Do hospital labs pay more than physician office labs?
Yes, at the median. The group earned a median of $69,190 in private general hospitals and $56,850 in offices of physicians in May 2025.
Is laboratory employment growing?
Slowly. BLS projects 3 percent growth from 2025 to 2035, with about 20,800 openings a year. It notes that laboratory automation may dampen demand.
Is my pay information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The Save button stores a result only on your own device.
Sources
- BLS OEWS Profiles, May 2025 national estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Select 29-2010 Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Duties of each job, education, employers and 2025 to 2035 outlook. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS technical notes for the May 2025 OEWS estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Defines the wage: straight-time gross pay, 2,080-hour year. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS May 2025 occupation profiles index (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Lists every occupation code in the May 2025 release; it shows 29-2010 and no separate technician code. Read 2026-10-02.)
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Explore all career calculatorsThis medical lab technician salary calculator gives an estimate for planning. It uses BLS survey data, not a pay offer, and it is not financial, tax or career advice. BLS figures are national estimates for May 2025, read on 2026-10-02. All amounts are gross pay before tax. Confirm pay with the employer before you decide. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
