How much does a science technician make?
Answer: A typical science technician in the United States makes $62,280 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 74,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Science technician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $39,000 | $62,280 | $102,690 | about 74,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $78,350 | about 10,000 |
| Washington | $73,530 | about 980 |
| Georgia | $69,320 | about 2,000 |
| Maryland | $68,390 | about 4,000 |
| Virginia | $67,240 | about 3,000 |
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., this broad job group covers many specialties, so the work’s complexity and needed skills can affect pay. Experience, useful credentials, employer or industry, location, and hours or shifts can also make pay differ.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a science technician do?
All life, physical, and social science technicians not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
The day depends on the specialty: one technician may collect data with a drone’s sensors, while a lab technician tests samples and records results. They check equipment and share data with scientists.
How to get this job
In the United States, BLS lists an associate degree as the typical entry education for this broad job group. It lists no related work experience or formal on-the-job training, though specialties can differ.
Did you know?
Some science technicians plan flights and use cameras or sensors on drones to take aerial photographs.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Life, Physical, and Social Science jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/print/wage-differences.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-4099.00
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/19-4099.01
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-4099.03
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/19-4099.03
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY