Biological Technicians Salary
In Pittsburgh, PA, biological technicians earn $47,810 at the median, or about $22.99 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $50,502 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,299/month, about 39.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Pittsburgh
Pay for biological technicians in Pittsburgh runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,299/month, which is 40% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. 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 Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $47K | $50K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $61K | $59K |
| State College | $62K | $64K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $51K | $52K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $69K 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 Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 40% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/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 Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,401/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 54% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $48K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Pittsburgh pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $47,810 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,020, and experienced biological technicians can clear $69,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,249/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 40% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $50,502 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.