Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians Salary
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians in California make a median of $76,010 a year, or about $36.54 an hour. The range runs from $48K at the entry level to $127K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $71,613 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 49.8% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in California?
About clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, local pay runs about 21% higher than the U.S. median of $63K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 50.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level clinical laboratory technologists and technicians (10th percentile) start around $48K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $127K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians salary by metro in California
22 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo | $86K | +13% | 220 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $85K | +12% | 1,870 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $84K | +11% | 340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $84K | +11% | 5,210 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $83K | +9% | 2,020 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $83K | +9% | 80 |
| Redding | $81K | +7% | 80 |
| Napa | $80K | +5% | 50 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $77K | +1% | 270 |
| Modesto | $76K | +0% | 360 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $75K | -2% | 370 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $67K | -11% | 10,150 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $64K | -16% | 2,740 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $63K | -17% | 360 |
| Salinas | $63K | -17% | 110 |
| Fresno | $62K | -18% | 600 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $62K | -18% | 70 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $62K | -19% | 1,530 |
| Chico | $60K | -22% | 170 |
| El Centro | $58K | -23% | 50 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $54K | -29% | 240 |
| Visalia | $52K | -32% | 90 |
Showing 1–10 of 22 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a clinical laboratory technologists and technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 50.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new clinical laboratory technologists and technicians typically earn — is $48K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,855/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 87% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is clinical laboratory technologists and technician a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 21% above the national median — $76K here vs. $63K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians?
California pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $63K — that’s +21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do clinical laboratory technologists and technicians make in California?
The median is $76,010 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $47,580, and experienced clinical laboratory technologists and technicians can clear $126,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,888/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 50.6% 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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians salary is worth about $71,613 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do clinical laboratory technologists and 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.