Biological Technicians Salary
In Rhode Island, biological technicians earn $45,530 at the median, or about $21.89 an hour. The range runs from $44K at the entry level to $79K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.77), that's roughly $44,738 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,544/month, about 49.1% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Rhode Island. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $46K actually covers in Rhode Island, month by month
About biological technicians
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What this looks like in Rhode Island
Pay for biological technicians in Rhode Island runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,544/month, which is 49.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.77) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rhode Island
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $44K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $79K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Biological Technicians salary by metro in Rhode Island
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence-Warwick | $57K | +25% | 170 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Rhode Island 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 Rhode Island?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 49.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,544/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for biological technicians in Rhode Island?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $44K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,999/month. At HUD’s $1,544/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Rhode Island?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $46K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Rhode Island compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Rhode Island pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.77), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Rhode Island?
The median is $45,530 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $43,830, and experienced biological technicians can clear $79,060. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Rhode Island?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,108/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,544/month, which eats 49.7% 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 Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has a Regional Price Parity of 101.77 (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 $44,738 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.