What are the main factors that influence a Lab Operator's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lab Operator's salary?

A Lab Operator's salary grows with experience: a Phlebotomist (0-0 years)earns $40,370, a Hospital Lab Clerk (0-1 years)earns $41,500, a Lab Operator (1-3 years)earns $46,433, a Medical Lab Technician II (3-5 years)earns $54,110,

What are the highest paying states for a Lab Operator?

Lab Operator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lab Operator roles are District of Columbia $50,200, California $50,009, Massachusetts $49,343. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lab Operator roles make?

Salaries for Lab Operator level roles vary by specialization: Lab Director: $144,488; Lab Manager: $121,245; Lab Cytotechnologist: $97,300; Lab Supervisor: $83,954; Lab Assistant: $68,120.

How do different companies affect a Lab Operator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lab Operator roles. Large, established industry leaders like C R Bard Inc ($128,509) and Henry Schein Canada ($124,697) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $82,041.

Lab Operator Salary in the United States

How much does a Lab Operator make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Operator in the United States is $45,340 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $22.

However, a Lab Operator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $55,459
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $40,091 to $50,637
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $35,313

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Lab Operator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,637	$4,220	$974	$24
Average	$45,340	$3,778	$872	$22
25th Percentile	$40,091	$3,341	$771	$19

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Key Factors That Influence Lab Operator Salaries

A Lab Operator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Do Lab Operator Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lab Operators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $50,200.
California: $50,009.
Massachusetts: $49,343.

District of Columbia $50,200

California $50,009

Massachusetts $49,343

Washington $49,162

New Jersey $49,143

Alaska $49,080

Connecticut $48,454

New York $48,200

Hawaii $47,389

Rhode Island $47,008

Maryland $46,750

Minnesota $46,396

Colorado $46,260

Illinois $46,215

Oregon $46,042

Delaware $45,915

New Hampshire $45,836

Virginia $45,657

Pennsylvania $45,135

Nevada $44,873

North Dakota $44,786

Michigan $44,650

Wisconsin $44,600

Vermont $44,501

Texas $44,224

Maine $44,206

Arizona $44,179

Ohio $44,147

Georgia $43,730

Indiana $43,521

Wyoming $43,481

Utah $43,417

Iowa $43,390

Kansas $43,172

Louisiana $43,109

North Carolina $43,086

Missouri $43,077

Florida $42,900

Montana $42,805

Nebraska $42,714

Kentucky $42,664

South Carolina $42,483

Tennessee $42,370

Idaho $42,324

New Mexico $41,993

Oklahoma $41,921

Alabama $41,653

South Dakota $41,205

Arkansas $40,960

West Virginia $40,828

Mississippi $40,434

Top Paying Cities for Lab Operators

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $57,187
San Francisco: $56,625
Oakland: $55,369

San Jose, CA $57,187

San Francisco, CA $56,625

Oakland, CA $55,369

New York, NY $52,544

Queens Village, NY $52,204

Paramus, NJ $51,841

Passaic, NJ $51,796

Bergenfield, NJ $51,751

Stamford, CT $51,682

Huntington, NY $51,637

Newark, NJ $51,342

Bridgeport, CT $51,252

New Brunswick, NJ $51,102

Vallejo, CA $51,007

Middlesex, NJ $50,980

Somerset, NJ $50,939

Petaluma, CA $50,835

Santa Cruz, CA $50,658

Boston, MA $50,567

Monterey, CA $50,340

Fairbanks, AK $50,309

Los Angeles, CA $50,223

Washington, DC $50,200

Seattle, WA $50,118

Santa Rosa, CA $50,109

Juneau, AK $49,978

Orange, CA $49,828

Anchorage, AK $49,746

Anaheim, CA $49,715

Santa Ana, CA $49,647

Nassau, NY $49,620

Long Beach, CA $49,601

Danbury, CT $49,588

Santa Maria, CA $49,434

Everett, WA $49,425

Bremerton, WA $49,202

Trenton, NJ $49,116

Sacramento, CA $49,098

San Diego, CA $49,075

Brockton, MA $49,057

Tacoma, WA $49,039

Santa Barbara, CA $48,976

Lowell, MA $48,794

New Suffolk, NY $48,776

Nashua, NH $48,722

Lompoc, CA $48,649

Ventura, CA $48,604

Stockton, CA $48,590

New Haven, CT $48,500

Atlantic City, NJ $48,382

Hartford, CT $48,282

Modesto, CA $48,259

Poughkeepsie, NY $48,160

New Britain, CT $48,137

Olympia, WA $48,073

Kennewick, WA $48,073

New London, CT $48,064

Norwich, CT $48,051

Lawrence, MA $48,028

Bakersfield, CA $47,901

Riverside, CA $47,838

New Bedford, MA $47,838

Richland, WA $47,792

Portsmouth, NH $47,756

Vineland, NJ $47,747

San Bernardino, CA $47,711

Boulder, CO $47,584

Worcester, MA $47,548

Portland, OR $47,507

Saint Paul, MN $47,452

Minneapolis, MN $47,452

Philadelphia, PA $47,389

Honolulu, HI $47,149

Springfield, MA $46,990

Providence, RI $46,985

Chicago, IL $46,854

Bellingham, WA $46,799

Baltimore, MD $46,750

Chico, CA $46,636

Wilmington, DE $46,559

Pittsfield, MA $46,514

Manchester, NH $46,428

Spokane, WA $46,228

Denver, CO $46,224

Albany, NY $46,011

Troy, NY $45,992

Schenectady, NY $45,897

Burlington, VT $45,797

Portland, ME $45,639

Salem, OR $45,602

Yakima, WA $45,593

Ann Arbor, MI $45,580

Rochester, MN $45,453

Fresno, CA $45,430

Reno, NV $45,430

Milwaukee, WI $45,389

Detroit, MI $45,344

Allentown, PA $45,330

Carson City, NV $45,326

Houston, TX $45,258

Colorado Springs, CO $45,253

Syracuse, NY $45,231

Eugene, OR $45,145

Bismarck, ND $45,090

Gary, IN $45,090

Galveston, TX $45,090

Springfield, OR $45,054

Medford, OR $44,945

Fort Collins, CO $44,927

Austin, TX $44,891

Mesa, AZ $44,795

Phoenix, AZ $44,786

Dallas, TX $44,773

Reading, PA $44,746

Saint Cloud, MN $44,727

Concord, NH $44,687

Madison, WI $44,668

Utica, NY $44,546

Raleigh, NC $44,510

Las Vegas, NV $44,505

Rochester, NY $44,474

Des Moines, IA $44,469

Atlanta, GA $44,396

Battle Creek, MI $44,383

Salt Lake City, UT $44,369

Lancaster, PA $44,301

Champaign, IL $44,292

Harrisburg, PA $44,238

Durham, NC $44,197

Kansas City, MO $44,192

Kansas City, KS $44,183

Fort Worth, TX $44,179

Boca Raton, FL $44,161

Cleveland, OH $44,156

Columbus, OH $44,147

Pittsburgh, PA $44,143

Richmond, VA $44,124

Indianapolis, IN $44,115

Cincinnati, OH $44,056

Petersburg, VA $43,988

Billings, MT $43,889

Lansing, MI $43,889

Huntsville, AL $43,889

Lebanon, PA $43,884

Dayton, OH $43,880

Pueblo, CO $43,880

Appleton, WI $43,866

Buffalo, NY $43,848

Racine, WI $43,825

Charlotte, NC $43,821

Saint Louis, MO $43,807

Springfield, IL $43,789

Elkhart, IN $43,780

York, PA $43,780

Gastonia, NC $43,775

Benton Harbor, MI $43,775

Beaumont, TX $43,748

Lorain, OH $43,739

Toledo, OH $43,721

Binghamton, NY $43,698

Rock Hill, SC $43,694

Rockford, IL $43,671

Fargo, ND $43,648

Elyria, OH $43,648

Flagstaff, AZ $43,617

Fort Lauderdale, FL $43,589

Miami, FL $43,562

Duluth, MN $43,490

Bangor, ME $43,431

Cedar Rapids, IA $43,381

Louisville, KY $43,358

Grand Rapids, MI $43,349

Hialeah, FL $43,345

Casper, WY $43,281

Scranton, PA $43,227

New Orleans, LA $43,213

Virginia Beach, VA $43,209

Akron, OH $43,186

Peoria, IL $43,127

Sarasota, FL $43,118

Green Bay, WI $43,086

Baton Rouge, LA $43,063

Charleston, SC $43,054

Nashville, TN $43,041

Jamestown, NY $43,032

Davenport, IA $43,032

Tucson, AZ $43,009

Cheyenne, WY $42,995

Saint Petersburg, FL $42,982

Tampa, FL $42,973

Omaha, NE $42,964

Port Arthur, TX $42,946

Evansville, IN $42,946

Bradenton, FL $42,927

Santa Fe, NM $42,846

Orlando, FL $42,800

Clearwater, FL $42,751

Canton, OH $42,655

La Crosse, WI $42,655

Grand Forks, ND $42,642

Albuquerque, NM $42,628

Tulsa, OK $42,628

Newport News, VA $42,624

High Point, NC $42,610

Ogden, UT $42,592

Corpus Christi, TX $42,556

Laramie, WY $42,528

Norfolk, VA $42,528

Rock Island, IL $42,501

Saginaw, MI $42,492

Jacksonville, FL $42,488

Salisbury, NC $42,479

Memphis, TN $42,470

Moline, IL $42,447

Fort Myers, FL $42,433

Waterloo, IA $42,374

Spartanburg, SC $42,329

Lincoln, NE $42,306

Fort Wayne, IN $42,297

Birmingham, AL $42,247

Cedar Falls, IA $42,238

Provo, UT $42,234

Springfield, OH $42,229

San Antonio, TX $42,220

Greensboro, NC $42,202

South Bend, IN $42,197

Winston Salem, NC $42,193

Boise, ID $42,179

Savannah, GA $42,148

Muskegon, MI $42,066

Lima, OH $42,012

Lake Charles, LA $41,993

Anderson, IN $41,984

Lexington, KY $41,971

Augusta, GA $41,957

Greenville, SC $41,957

Wichita, KS $41,916

Tuscaloosa, AL $41,916

Columbia, SC $41,876

Bloomington, IN $41,762

Roanoke, VA $41,735

Asheville, NC $41,676

Knoxville, TN $41,599

Shreveport, LA $41,594

Wilmington, NC $41,536

Frankfort, KY $41,449

Oklahoma City, OK $41,418

Chillicothe, OH $41,399

Longview, TX $41,395

Topeka, KS $41,381

Mobile, AL $41,313

Terre Haute, IN $41,295

Erie, PA $41,291

Altoona, PA $41,268

Melbourne, FL $41,254

Amarillo, TX $41,236

Killeen, TX $41,223

Fayetteville, AR $41,186

Sioux Falls, SD $41,155

Chattanooga, TN $41,127

Idaho Falls, ID $41,123

Gainesville, FL $41,028

Portsmouth, OH $41,005

Little Rock, AR $40,996

Lynchburg, VA $40,996

Lafayette, LA $40,978

Youngstown, OH $40,978

Temple, TX $40,960

Daytona Beach, FL $40,951

Clarksville, TN $40,946

Pensacola, FL $40,942

Hopkinsville, KY $40,806

Charleston, WV $40,801

Florence, SC $40,778

Sioux City, IA $40,751

Macon, GA $40,620

Tallahassee, FL $40,615

Fayetteville, NC $40,606

Waco, TX $40,597

Wichita Falls, TX $40,597

Pine Bluff, AR $40,579

Vincennes, IN $40,493

Lubbock, TX $40,475

Great Falls, MT $40,447

Alamogordo, NM $40,443

Abilene, TX $40,407

Rapid City, SD $40,348

Monroe, LA $40,348

Albany, GA $40,320

Huntington, WV $40,316

Jackson, MS $40,311

Greenville, MS $40,307

Parkersburg, WV $40,261

Montgomery, AL $40,252

Johnstown, PA $40,243

Springfield, MO $40,207

Biloxi, MS $40,184

Sumter, SC $40,089

Columbus, GA $40,085

Twin Falls, ID $40,057

Pascagoula, MS $39,999

Kingsport, TN $39,881

Gulfport, MS $39,867

Alexandria, LA $39,717

Fort Smith, AR $39,604

El Paso, TX $39,482

Helena, MT $39,423

Las Cruces, NM $39,278

Harlingen, TX $39,151

Pocatello, ID $39,110

Florence, AL $39,096

Brownsville, TX $39,087

Dothan, AL $39,015

Mcallen, TX $38,992

Columbus, MS $38,656

Altus, OK $38,448

Lawton, OK $38,362

Pierre, SD $38,199

What Skills Can Increase a Lab Operator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 3.62% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Hematology (Mentioned in 3.33% Job Postings): Hematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood.
Quality Assurance (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Verifying the adherence of product with required specifications and expectations to track and resolve deficiencies prior to product release.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	3.62%
Hematology	3.33%
Quality Assurance	1.92%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lab Operator's salary.

Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Coordination: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.
Chemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Collaboration	$47,606	5%
Coordination	$47,153	4%
Chemistry	$46,700	3%
Clinical Laboratory Science	$46,700	3%
Consulting	$46,700	3%
Hematology	$46,246	2%

Get Latest Data

Lab Operator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lab Operator's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

$40,091

Average $45,340/year

$50,637

$3,341

Average $3,778/month

$4,220

$771

Average $872/week

$974

$19

Average $22/hour

$24

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$50,637	$4,220	$974	$24
Average	$45,340	$3,778	$872	$22
25th Percentile	$40,091	$3,341	$771	$19

Salaries of jobs related to Lab Operator

Salary Trends for Lab Operator

Salaries for a Lab Operator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $50,162 in 2023 to around $49,915 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lab Operator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lab Operator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$50,162

2024

$50,292

2025

$49,915

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$50,162
2024	$50,292
2025	$49,915
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lab Operator

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Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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