Biological Technicians Salary
In McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX, biological technicians earn $46,860 at the median, or about $22.53 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $54,558 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,060/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by McAllen-Edinburg-Mission’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission
Pay for biological technicians in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $1,060/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for biological technicians in metros near McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $50K | $51K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $46K | $44K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $49K | $52K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $54K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $29K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when McAllen-Edinburg-Mission numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 32% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,060/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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,165/month. At HUD’s $1,060/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $47K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does McAllen-Edinburg-Mission compare to the national average for biological technicians?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX?
The median is $46,860 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 $64,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,308/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,060/month, which eats 32% 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 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission?
McAllen-Edinburg-Mission has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (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 $54,558 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.