Biological Technicians Salary
In Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI, biological technicians earn $50,320 at the median, or about $24.19 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.94), that's roughly $51,908 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,338/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Milwaukee-Waukesha’s Regional Price Parity (96.94). 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha
Pay for biological technicians in Milwaukee-Waukesha runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,338/month, which is 39.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.94) 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 technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for biological technicians in metros near Milwaukee-Waukesha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Madison | $52K | $53K |
| Green Bay | $43K | $46K |
| Iowa City | $48K | $53K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $58K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 39.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,338/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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,183/month. At HUD’s $1,338/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $50K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Milwaukee-Waukesha compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Milwaukee-Waukesha pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.94), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI?
The median is $50,320 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,380, and experienced biological technicians can clear $65,420. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Milwaukee-Waukesha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,404/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,338/month, which eats 39.3% 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 Milwaukee-Waukesha?
Milwaukee-Waukesha has a Regional Price Parity of 96.94 (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 $51,908 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.