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.
- O*NET-SOC code
19-4021.00 - Preparation Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$57,510
Employment, U.S.69,620
Median hourly wage$27.65
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,330 | $48,130 | $57,510 | $71,520 | $84,940 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 270 | $49,220 | 0.28 |
| Alaska | 410 | $56,470 | 2.82 |
| Arizona | 830 | $53,290 | 0.57 |
| Arkansas | 420 | $46,930 | 0.71 |
| California | 9,210 | $71,440 | 1.13 |
| Colorado | 1,990 | $59,400 | 1.55 |
| Connecticut | 650 | $62,360 | 0.85 |
| Delaware | 180 | $58,550 | 0.82 |
| District of Columbia | 210 | $64,770 | 0.66 |
| Florida | 3,170 | $48,700 | 0.71 |
| Georgia | 860 | $52,420 | 0.39 |
| Hawaii | 830 | $48,770 | 2.96 |
| Idaho | 450 | $42,130 | 1.16 |
| Illinois | 790 | $55,790 | 0.29 |
| Indiana | 1,020 | $58,790 | 0.71 |
| Iowa | 800 | $48,050 | 1.15 |
| Kansas | 480 | $51,630 | 0.74 |
| Kentucky | 260 | $48,910 | 0.29 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $47,310 | 0.22 |
| Maine | 510 | $60,160 | 1.78 |
| Maryland | 3,470 | $52,900 | 2.80 |
| Massachusetts | 8,430 | $62,070 | 5.18 |
| Michigan | 1,160 | $51,070 | 0.59 |
| Minnesota | 1,400 | $48,130 | 1.06 |
| Mississippi | 330 | $56,930 | 0.64 |
| Missouri | 620 | $50,640 | 0.47 |
| Montana | 430 | $49,920 | 1.88 |
| Nebraska | 600 | $48,220 | 1.32 |
| Nevada | 280 | $51,680 | 0.40 |
| New Hampshire | 240 | $55,540 | 0.78 |
| New Jersey | 1,290 | $66,040 | 0.67 |
| New Mexico | 140 | $49,570 | 0.35 |
| New York | 5,050 | $61,210 | 1.16 |
| North Carolina | 2,460 | $61,720 | 1.11 |
| North Dakota | 250 | $55,330 | 1.28 |
| Ohio | 2,240 | $51,080 | 0.90 |
| Oklahoma | 360 | $47,850 | 0.47 |
| Oregon | 1,590 | $52,190 | 1.81 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,820 | $54,950 | 1.04 |
| Rhode Island | 140 | $45,530 | 0.63 |
| South Carolina | 550 | $53,040 | 0.53 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $41,300 | 1.10 |
| Tennessee | 1,240 | $50,840 | 0.85 |
| Texas | 2,730 | $50,130 | 0.43 |
| Utah | 710 | $52,960 | 0.91 |
| Vermont | 220 | $51,190 | 1.62 |
| Virginia | 1,820 | $53,360 | 0.99 |
| Washington | 3,210 | $60,800 | 2.02 |
| West Virginia | 100 | $51,440 | 0.33 |
| Wisconsin | 1,800 | $51,750 | 1.37 |
| Wyoming | 190 | $46,480 | 1.53 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cytogenetic Technologists | 4 | 0.980 |
| 2 | Microbiologists | 4 | 0.969 |
| 3 | Cytotechnologists | 5 | 0.964 |
| 4 | Molecular and Cellular Biologists | 5 | 0.963 |
| 5 | Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | 5 | 0.957 |
| 6 | Histotechnologists | 4 | 0.955 |
| 7 | Geneticists | 5 | 0.954 |
| 8 | Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 4 | 0.952 |
| 9 | Histology Technicians | 3 | 0.951 |
| 10 | Biochemists and Biophysicists | 5 | 0.950 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Biological Technicians, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.945 |
| Forensic Science Technicians | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.942 |
| Environmental Compliance Inspectors | Systems Evaluation | 0.87 | 0.939 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | Service Orientation | 0.88 | 0.937 |
| Neurodiagnostic Technologists | Service Orientation | 1.00 | 0.934 |
| Environmental Engineering Technologists and Technicians | Management of Personnel Resources | 0.88 | 0.929 |
| Quality Control Analysts | Quality Control Analysis | 1.00 | 0.927 |
| Bioinformatics Technicians | Programming | 2.00 | 0.919 |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists | Service Orientation | 0.76 | 0.914 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Biological Technicians, excluding software Biological Technicians already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| Laboratory information system LIS | 6 of 20 | 30.8x |
| Basic Local Alignment Search Tool BLAST | 5 of 20 | 38.5x |
| Orchard Software Orchard Harvest LIS | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| STARLIMS | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| Sunquest Information Systems Sunquest Laboratory | 3 of 20 | 46.2x |
| PHYLIP | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Minitab | 6 of 20 | 4.0x |
| R | 7 of 20 | 3.2x |
| MEDITECH software | 6 of 20 | 3.6x |
| Linux | 7 of 20 | 2.6x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 4.00 | 4.62 |
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Science | Essential skill | 3.75 | 3.62 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 3.50 | 3.88 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 3.38 | 3.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.38 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 3.12 | 3.25 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 3.00 | 3.62 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.75 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.38 |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 2.12 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 1.00 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.38 | 0.50 |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 4.82 | 4.94 |
| English Language | 3.90 | 3.86 |
| Computers and Electronics | 3.51 | 4.27 |
| Chemistry | 3.44 | 4.12 |
| Mathematics | 3.24 | 3.63 |
| Administrative | 2.72 | 3.45 |
| Education and Training | 2.65 | 2.97 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 2.56 | 2.53 |
| Engineering and Technology | 2.56 | 2.38 |
| Customer and Personal Service | 2.46 | 2.03 |
| Public Safety and Security | 2.26 | 1.70 |
| Administration and Management | 2.18 | 2.55 |
| Law and Government | 2.06 | 1.10 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.92 | 1.15 |
| Mechanical | 1.87 | 1.98 |
| Physics | 1.87 | 1.84 |
| Design | 1.86 | 1.36 |
| Telecommunications | 1.82 | 0.74 |
| Transportation | 1.79 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.76 | 1.55 |
| Psychology | 1.71 | 1.69 |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.56 | 0.53 |
| Geography | 1.52 | 1.24 |
| Production and Processing | 1.45 | 1.06 |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.40 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.34 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.32 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.32 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.16 | not rated |
| Food Production | 1.14 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.07 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.06 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.00 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Comprehension | 4.00 | 4.62 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Information Ordering | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Near Vision | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Oral Expression | 3.88 | 4.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 3.88 | 4.00 |
| Written Comprehension | 3.75 | 4.25 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Written Expression | 3.75 | 4.00 |
| Category Flexibility | 3.62 | 4.00 |
| Speech Clarity | 3.50 | 3.25 |
| Selective Attention | 3.25 | 3.12 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 3.12 | 3.88 |
| Speech Recognition | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 3.00 | 3.25 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Number Facility | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Manual Dexterity | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Perceptual Speed | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Speed of Closure | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Visualization | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Originality | 2.75 | 3.00 |
| Far Vision | 2.75 | 2.88 |
| Control Precision | 2.75 | 2.75 |
| Time Sharing | 2.50 | 2.12 |
| Memorization | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.25 | 2.25 |
| Trunk Strength | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Static Strength | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.12 | 1.62 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Response Orientation | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Dynamic Strength | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Reaction Time | 1.88 | 1.12 |
| Stamina | 1.88 | 0.88 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Rate Control | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.25 | not rated |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.00 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft .NET Framework in demand
- Microsoft Excel in demand
- Microsoft Office software in demand
- Adobe Acrobat hot
- Adobe Photoshop hot
- ESRI ArcGIS software hot
- Microsoft Access hot
- Microsoft Outlook hot
- Microsoft PowerPoint hot
- Microsoft Project hot
- Microsoft Word hot
- SAS hot
- BD Biosciences CellQuest
- BoxShade
- ClustalW
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Database software
- Gene Codes Sequencher
- Gene Runner
- Geographic information system GIS software
- Graphics software
- Harvard Graphics
- IBM Lotus 1-2-3
- Laboratory information management system LIMS
- MapInfo MapMarker
- Phrap
- Phred
- PolyBayes
- Primer3
- Statistical software
All 33
- Systat Software SigmaPlot
- Systat Software TableCurve
- Thomson EndNote
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corvallis, OR | 220 | 12.98 | $51,670 |
| Iowa City, IA | 520 | 12.30 | $48,050 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | 280 | 8.47 | $51,710 |
| Madison, WI | 1,310 | 7.18 | $51,750 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,040 | 6.74 | $58,400 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,320 | 6.05 | $61,610 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 280 | 5.50 | $66,590 |
| Worcester, MA | 740 | 4.71 | $69,730 |
| State College, PA | 130 | 4.22 | $62,000 |
| Lincoln, NE | 340 | 4.21 | Not available |