Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Paying close attention to accuracy, quality, instructions, and small but important details.
Using computers, software, digital systems, and technology to complete work and solve problems.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Biological Technician Most biological technicians gain laboratory experience while in school. To enter the occupation, biological technicians typically need a bachelor’s degree in biology or a related field. Although less common, some positions are available to candidates who have less than a bachelor’s degree.
Education
Biological technicians typically need a bachelor’s degree in biology or a related field, such as physical science or natural resources. Positions are sometimes open to candidates who have less education than a bachelor's degree but have laboratory experience. Biology programs typically include subfields such as ecology, microbiology, and physiology. In addition to studying biological sciences, students may need to take courses in math and physics, as well as in other sciences. Students need laboratory experience, so science coursework should include a lab component. In addition, students may gain laboratory experience by participating in internships, such as with pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturers or in university laboratories.
Training
Laboratory equipment in the workplace is expensive and may differ from the equipment available in university laboratories. As a result, biological technicians may receive training after they are hired, with experienced biological scientists or medical scientists demonstrating proper use of their employers’ laboratory equipment.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Biological technicians who work with animals may need certification in animal care from the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). This certification may include compliance training, such as in chemical hygiene and blood-borne pathogens. Advancement Biological technicians may advance to scientist positions, such as microbiologist or biochemist and biophysicist, after a few years of experience working as a technician or after earning a graduate degree. Gaining more experience and education may allow biological technicians to move into other positions, such as natural sciences managers.
Your Next Step
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of biological technicians is projected to grow 7 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 9,400 openings for biological technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Demand for biological and medical research is expected to contribute to the need for biological technicians. Synthetic biology is expected to create jobs for workers who redesign biological systems or living organisms for medical, manufacturing, and agriculture applications. Continued growth in biotechnology research and development projects, such as using cells to deliver drugs within the human body, is expected to support demand for biological technicians. Biological Technicians Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Biological technicians 7% Life, physical, and social science technicians 5% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Biological Technicians Do
Biological technicians help biological and medical scientists with tasks such as laboratory setup, data collection, and observation. They also may analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
Duties
Biological technicians typically do the following:
- Set up, maintain, and clean laboratory instruments and equipment, such as microscopes, scales, pipets, and test tubes
- Gather and prepare biological samples, such as blood, food, and bacteria cultures, for laboratory analysis
- Conduct biological tests and experiments
- Document their work, including procedures, observations, and results
- Analyze experimental data and interpret results
- Write reports and maintain detailed records that summarize their findings
Biological technicians, sometimes called laboratory assistants, typically are responsible for doing scientific tests, experiments, and analyses under the supervision of biological scientists or medical scientists who direct and evaluate their work. Biological technicians use a variety of laboratory instruments and equipment to conduct experiments. They also use computer software to collect, analyze, and model experimental data.
Biological technicians work in many research areas. For example, technicians who assist medical researchers may administer new medicines and treatments to laboratory animals. Those who work with zoologists and wildlife biologists may separate proteins from animal cell material and analyze data from experiments. Technicians helping microbiologists may study living microbes and perform techniques such as staining specimens to aid identification.
Biological technicians also may work in industrial settings and assist in the study of a wide range of topics. For example, they may test samples in environmental impact studies or monitor production processes to help ensure that products are not contaminated.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Biological technicians held about 74,400 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of biological technicians were as follows:
| Scientific research and development services | 33% |
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 14 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state | 12 |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 12 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; private | 10 |
Biological technicians typically work in laboratories and offices. Some biological technicians, such as those who assist the work of zoologists and wildlife biologists, collect samples in the field. They may need to hike rugged terrain or otherwise travel through wilderness areas, often while exposed to extreme weather or other harsh conditions.
Some experiments involve dangerous organisms or toxic substances. Biological technicians must follow procedures to avoid contaminating an experiment, themselves, or the environment.
Work Schedules
Most biological technicians work full time.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Analytical skills. Biological technicians need to conduct experiments and evaluate results to reach sound conclusions. Communication skills. Biological technicians must follow instructions from managing scientists and interact with other team members. They also need to write reports. Detail oriented. Biological technicians must be precise in their work, including recording the conditions under which the experiment was carried out, the procedures they followed, and the results they obtained. Observational skills. Biological technicians must monitor their experiments and be alert for any changes that occur. Technical skills. Biological technicians need to set up and operate sophisticated equipment and instruments. They also may need to adjust equipment to ensure that experiments are conducted properly.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about biological technicians by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.