Biological Technicians Salary
In Rochester, NY, biological technicians earn $47,670 at the median, or about $22.92 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.03), that's roughly $49,129 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,573/month, about 47.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Rochester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rochester’s Regional Price Parity (97.03). 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 Rochester
Pay for biological technicians in Rochester 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 $1,573/month, which is 49.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.03) 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 Rochester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome | $49K | $53K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $63K | $56K |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy | $61K | $61K |
| Syracuse | $63K | $66K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rochester, NY
Entry-level biological technicians (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $68K 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 Rochester numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a biological technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rochester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 49.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,573/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 Rochester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new biological technicians typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,342/month. At HUD’s $1,573/month FMR, rent would take 67% 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 Rochester?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $48K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Rochester compare to the national average for biological technicians?
Rochester pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.03), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do biological technicians make in Rochester, NY?
The median is $47,670 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,040, and experienced biological technicians can clear $67,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Rochester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,194/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,573/month, which eats 49.2% 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 Rochester?
Rochester has a Regional Price Parity of 97.03 (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 $49,129 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.