Biological Technicians Salary
In Helena, MT, biological technicians earn $50,430 at the median, or about $24.25 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.67), that's roughly $52,712 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,404/month, about 42.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $50K actually covers in Helena, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Helena’s Regional Price Parity (95.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About biological technicians
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What this looks like in Helena
Pay for biological technicians in Helena runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,404/month, which is 41.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 95.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for biological technicians.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for biological technicians in metros near Helena, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boise City | $40K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Helena, MT
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $10K spread from bottom to top.
Biological Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Biological Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $71K | +24% | 9,210 |
| New Jersey | $66K | +15% | 1,290 |
| District of Columbia | $65K | +13% | 210 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +8% | 650 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +8% | 8,430 |
| North Carolina | $62K | +7% | 2,460 |
| New York | $61K | +6% | 5,050 |
| Washington | $61K | +6% | 3,210 |
| Maine | $60K | +5% | 510 |
| Colorado | $59K | +3% | 1,990 |
| Indiana | $59K | +2% | 1,020 |
| Delaware | $59K | +2% | 180 |
| Mississippi | $57K | -1% | 330 |
| Alaska | $56K | -2% | 410 |
| Illinois | $56K | -3% | 790 |
| New Hampshire | $56K | -3% | 240 |
| North Dakota | $55K | -4% | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $55K | -4% | 2,820 |
| Virginia | $53K | -7% | 1,820 |
| Arizona | $53K | -7% | 830 |
| South Carolina | $53K | -8% | 550 |
| Utah | $53K | -8% | 710 |
| Maryland | $53K | -8% | 3,470 |
| Georgia | $52K | -9% | 860 |
| Oregon | $52K | -9% | 1,590 |
| Wisconsin | $52K | -10% | 1,800 |
| Nevada | $52K | -10% | 280 |
| Kansas | $52K | -10% | 480 |
| West Virginia | $51K | -11% | 100 |
| Vermont | $51K | -11% | 220 |
| Ohio | $51K | -11% | 2,240 |
| Michigan | $51K | -11% | 1,160 |
| Tennessee | $51K | -12% | 1,240 |
| Missouri | $51K | -12% | 620 |
| Texas | $50K | -13% | 2,730 |
| Montana | $50K | -13% | 430 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -14% | 140 |
| Alabama | $49K | -14% | 270 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -15% | 260 |
| Hawaii | $49K | -15% | 830 |
| Florida | $49K | -15% | 3,170 |
| Nebraska | $48K | -16% | 600 |
| Minnesota | $48K | -16% | 1,400 |
| Iowa | $48K | -16% | 800 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -17% | 360 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -18% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $47K | -18% | 420 |
| Wyoming | $46K | -19% | 190 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | -21% | 140 |
| Idaho | $42K | -27% | 450 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -28% | 230 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track biological technicians salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Helena?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 41.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,404/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 Helena?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,051/month. At HUD’s $1,404/month FMR, rent would take 46% 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 Helena?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $50K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Helena compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Helena pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Helena, MT?
The median is $50,430 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $44,950, and experienced biological technicians can clear $54,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Helena?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,391/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,404/month, which eats 41.4% 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 Helena?
Helena has a Regional Price Parity of 95.67 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median biological technicians salary is worth about $52,712 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.