Biological Technicians Salary
In Hawaii, biological technicians earn $48,770 at the median, or about $23.45 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $64K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $44,268 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 66.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $49K actually covers in Hawaii, month by month
About biological technicians
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Pay for biological technicians in Hawaii runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 70.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for biological technicians.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $64K or more, a $27K spread from bottom to top.
Biological Technicians salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu | $50K | +3% | 470 |
| Kahului-Wailuku | $36K | -26% | 140 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 70.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for biological technicians in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,411/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 93% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is biological technician a high-paying job in Hawaii?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $49K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Hawaii pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Hawaii?
The median is $48,770 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,090, and experienced biological technicians can clear $63,520. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,177/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 70.5% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a biological technicians salary go in Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median biological technicians salary is worth about $44,268 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do biological technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.