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

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

How does experience change A Preparator's salary?

A Preparator's salary grows with experience: a Laboratory Support Technician I (0-1 years)earns $46,156, a Preparator (1-3 years)earns $53,356, a Laboratory Support Technician III (3-5 years)earns $73,313, a Laboratory Support Technician IV (5-7 years)earns $86,537, a Laboratory Supervisor (7+ years)earns $86,001,

What are the highest paying states for a Preparator?

Preparator salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Preparator roles are District of Columbia $58,130, California $57,910, Massachusetts $57,138. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Preparator roles make?

Salaries for Preparator level roles vary by specialization: Art Preparator: $113,390; Chief Preparator: $61,881; Lab Preparator: $59,913; Fossil Preparator: $51,949; Museum Preparator: $41,663.

How do different companies affect a Preparator's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Preparator 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.

Preparator Salary in the United States

How much does a Preparator make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Preparator in the United States is $52,502 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $25.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $60,511
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $48,405 to $56,694
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $44,675

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Preparator Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,694	$4,725	$1,090	$27
Average	$52,502	$4,375	$1,010	$25
25th Percentile	$48,405	$4,034	$931	$23

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Key Factors That Influence Preparator Salaries

A Preparator'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 Experience Level Affects Preparator Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Preparator's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $46,156
Early Career (1-2 years): $53,356
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $73,313
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $86,537
Expert (over 8 years): $86,001

Levels	Salary
Laborator... Level Preparator	$46,156
Preparato... Level Preparator	$53,356
Laborator... Level Preparator	$73,313
Laborator... Level Preparator	$86,537
Laborator... Level Preparator	$86,001

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What Am I Worth?

How Do Preparator 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 Preparators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $58,130.
California: $57,910.
Massachusetts: $57,138.

District of Columbia $58,130 California $57,910 Massachusetts $57,138 Washington $56,928 New Jersey $56,907 Alaska $56,834 Connecticut $56,109 New York $55,815

Hawaii $54,875 Rhode Island $54,434 Maryland $54,135 Minnesota $53,725 Colorado $53,568 Illinois $53,515 Oregon $53,316 Delaware $53,169

New Hampshire $53,076 Virginia $52,870 Pennsylvania $52,266 Nevada $51,961 North Dakota $51,862 Michigan $51,704 Wisconsin $51,646 Vermont $51,531

Texas $51,211 Maine $51,190 Arizona $51,158 Ohio $51,121 Georgia $50,638 Indiana $50,397 Wyoming $50,350 Utah $50,276

Iowa $50,245 Kansas $49,992 Louisiana $49,919 North Carolina $49,893 Missouri $49,882 Florida $49,677 Montana $49,567 Nebraska $49,462

Kentucky $49,404 South Carolina $49,194 Tennessee $49,063 Idaho $49,011 New Mexico $48,627 Oklahoma $48,543 Alabama $48,234 South Dakota $47,714

Arkansas $47,430 West Virginia $47,278 Mississippi $46,821

Top Paying Cities for Preparators

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: $66,221
San Francisco: $65,496
Oakland: $64,116

San Jose, CA $66,221

San Francisco, CA $65,496

Oakland, CA $64,116

New York, NY $60,450

Paramus, NJ $59,715

Queens Village, NY $59,713

Passaic, NJ $59,663

Bergenfield, NJ $59,658

Stamford, CT $59,543

Huntington, NY $59,521

Newark, NJ $59,133

Bridgeport, CT $59,022

Vallejo, CA $58,918

New Brunswick, NJ $58,897

Petaluma, CA $58,865

Middlesex, NJ $58,766

Somerset, NJ $58,729

Santa Cruz, CA $58,661

Boston, MA $58,340

Monterey, CA $58,156

Seattle, WA $58,036

Santa Rosa, CA $58,025

Los Angeles, CA $58,010

Juneau, AK $57,873

Washington, DC $57,815

Orange, CA $57,628

Santa Ana, CA $57,490

Long Beach, CA $57,437

Anaheim, CA $57,427

Anchorage, AK $57,401

Santa Maria, CA $57,243

Everett, WA $57,233

Danbury, CT $57,048

Bremerton, WA $56,975

Tacoma, WA $56,786

New Suffolk, NY $56,785

Sacramento, CA $56,771

Santa Barbara, CA $56,713

Trenton, NJ $56,655

San Diego, CA $56,655

Brockton, MA $56,597

Fairbanks, AK $56,469

Lompoc, CA $56,335

Lowell, MA $56,292

Ventura, CA $56,282

Nashua, NH $56,272

Stockton, CA $56,267

Modesto, CA $55,883

Poughkeepsie, NY $55,768

Olympia, WA $55,668

Kennewick, WA $55,668

New Haven, CT $55,647

Lawrence, MA $55,458

Hartford, CT $55,405

Riverside, CA $55,395

New Bedford, MA $55,342

Richland, WA $55,342

Bakersfield, CA $55,269

San Bernardino, CA $55,248

New Britain, CT $55,243

Atlantic City, NJ $55,243

New London, CT $55,222

Norwich, CT $55,206

Portsmouth, NH $55,195

Boulder, CO $55,084

Portland, OR $55,012

Worcester, MA $55,006

Minneapolis, MN $54,844

Philadelphia, PA $54,770

Honolulu, HI $54,597

Saint Paul, MN $54,572

Vineland, NJ $54,560

Providence, RI $54,408

Chicago, IL $54,256

Bellingham, WA $54,193

Springfield, MA $54,151

Baltimore, MD $54,135

Chico, CA $54,004

Pittsfield, MA $53,862

Manchester, NH $53,762

Spokane, WA $53,531

Denver, CO $53,526

Albany, NY $53,279

Troy, NY $53,258

Nassau, NY $53,202

Schenectady, NY $53,148

Wilmington, DE $53,106

Burlington, VT $53,032

Salem, OR $53,011

Portland, ME $52,849

Yakima, WA $52,796

Rochester, MN $52,633

Reno, NV $52,607

Fresno, CA $52,607

Milwaukee, WI $52,560

Detroit, MI $52,507

Ann Arbor, MI $52,498

Allentown, PA $52,492

Colorado Springs, CO $52,402

Syracuse, NY $52,376

Carson City, NV $52,376

Houston, TX $52,303

Eugene, OR $52,276

Gary, IN $52,213

Springfield, OR $52,171

Bismarck, ND $52,161

Galveston, TX $52,124

Medford, OR $52,045

Fort Collins, CO $52,024

Concord, NH $51,998

Austin, TX $51,982

Mesa, AZ $51,872

Reading, PA $51,867

Phoenix, AZ $51,862

Dallas, TX $51,846

Saint Cloud, MN $51,795

Madison, WI $51,725

Utica, NY $51,583

Rochester, NY $51,499

Des Moines, IA $51,494

Raleigh, NC $51,489

Atlanta, GA $51,410

Battle Creek, MI $51,394

Salt Lake City, UT $51,379

Lancaster, PA $51,300

Harrisburg, PA $51,226

Kansas City, MO $51,174

Champaign, IL $51,163

Kansas City, KS $51,163

Fort Worth, TX $51,158

Columbus, OH $51,149

Boca Raton, FL $51,137

Pittsburgh, PA $51,116

Richmond, VA $51,095

Indianapolis, IN $51,085

Cleveland, OH $51,079

Las Vegas, NV $51,016

Cincinnati, OH $51,016

Petersburg, VA $50,938

Huntsville, AL $50,859

Lansing, MI $50,824

Lebanon, PA $50,817

Pueblo, CO $50,812

Appleton, WI $50,796

Buffalo, NY $50,775

Dayton, OH $50,759

Racine, WI $50,749

Charlotte, NC $50,743

Saint Louis, MO $50,728

York, PA $50,696

Elkhart, IN $50,696

Gastonia, NC $50,686

Billings, MT $50,673

Beaumont, TX $50,659

Lorain, OH $50,649

Benton Harbor, MI $50,638

Toledo, OH $50,628

Binghamton, NY $50,602

Rock Hill, SC $50,596

Rockford, IL $50,570

Springfield, IL $50,549

Elyria, OH $50,544

Fargo, ND $50,544

Flagstaff, AZ $50,507

Fort Lauderdale, FL $50,476

Duluth, MN $50,444

Miami, FL $50,444

Cheyenne, WY $50,407

Grand Forks, ND $50,407

Bangor, ME $50,292

Cedar Rapids, IA $50,234

Durham, NC $50,212

Louisville, KY $50,208

Grand Rapids, MI $50,197

Hialeah, FL $50,192

Casper, WY $50,119

Scranton, PA $50,056

New Orleans, LA $50,040

Virginia Beach, VA $50,035

Akron, OH $50,008

Peoria, IL $49,940

Sarasota, FL $49,929

Nashville, TN $49,893

Omaha, NE $49,893

Green Bay, WI $49,893

Baton Rouge, LA $49,866

Charleston, SC $49,856

Jamestown, NY $49,830

Davenport, IA $49,830

Tucson, AZ $49,803

Saint Petersburg, FL $49,772

Tampa, FL $49,761

Evansville, IN $49,730

Port Arthur, TX $49,730

Bradenton, FL $49,709

Santa Fe, NM $49,614

Orlando, FL $49,520

Clearwater, FL $49,504

Canton, OH $49,394

La Crosse, WI $49,394

Albuquerque, NM $49,362

Newport News, VA $49,357

High Point, NC $49,341

Ogden, UT $49,320

Corpus Christi, TX $49,278

Norfolk, VA $49,247

Laramie, WY $49,247

Rock Island, IL $49,215

Saginaw, MI $49,205

Jacksonville, FL $49,200

Salisbury, NC $49,189

Boise, ID $49,179

Moline, IL $49,152

Fort Myers, FL $49,137

Memphis, TN $49,126

Tulsa, OK $49,100

Waterloo, IA $49,068

Spartanburg, SC $49,016

Lincoln, NE $48,990

Fort Wayne, IN $48,979

Provo, UT $48,974

Cedar Falls, IA $48,911

San Antonio, TX $48,890

Greensboro, NC $48,869

South Bend, IN $48,864

Savannah, GA $48,806

Muskegon, MI $48,785

Birmingham, AL $48,780

Winston Salem, NC $48,754

Lake Charles, LA $48,627

Anderson, IN $48,617

Lexington, KY $48,601

Augusta, GA $48,585

Greenville, SC $48,585

Lima, OH $48,543

Wichita, KS $48,538

Tuscaloosa, AL $48,538

Columbia, SC $48,491

Springfield, OH $48,480

Asheville, NC $48,396

Bloomington, IN $48,360

Knoxville, TN $48,171

Shreveport, LA $48,165

Wilmington, NC $48,097

Roanoke, VA $48,097

Topeka, KS $48,003

Frankfort, KY $47,997

Oklahoma City, OK $47,961

Chillicothe, OH $47,940

Longview, TX $47,934

Melbourne, FL $47,929

Sioux Falls, SD $47,845

Mobile, AL $47,840

Terre Haute, IN $47,819

Altoona, PA $47,787

Amarillo, TX $47,751

Killeen, TX $47,735

Fayetteville, AR $47,693

Chattanooga, TN $47,677

Sioux City, IA $47,630

Idaho Falls, ID $47,619

Lynchburg, VA $47,577

Gainesville, FL $47,509

Portsmouth, OH $47,483

Little Rock, AR $47,472

Lafayette, LA $47,451

Youngstown, OH $47,451

Daytona Beach, FL $47,420

Clarksville, TN $47,415

Pensacola, FL $47,409

Temple, TX $47,406

Hopkinsville, KY $47,252

Erie, PA $47,241

Florence, SC $47,220

Charleston, WV $47,136

Great Falls, MT $47,110

Macon, GA $47,037

Tallahassee, FL $47,031

Fayetteville, NC $47,021

Waco, TX $47,010

Helena, MT $46,974

Pine Bluff, AR $46,954

Vincennes, IN $46,890

Lubbock, TX $46,869

Alamogordo, NM $46,837

Twin Falls, ID $46,790

Rapid City, SD $46,774

Jackson, MS $46,680

Huntington, WV $46,676

Greenville, MS $46,674

Parkersburg, WV $46,621

Montgomery, AL $46,611

Wichita Falls, TX $46,559

Springfield, MO $46,559

Biloxi, MS $46,533

Monroe, LA $46,480

Johnstown, PA $46,443

Sumter, SC $46,422

Columbus, GA $46,417

Pascagoula, MS $46,317

Abilene, TX $46,317

Kingsport, TN $46,181

Albany, GA $46,181

Gulfport, MS $46,165

Alexandria, LA $45,992

Fort Smith, AR $45,861

El Paso, TX $45,719

Las Cruces, NM $45,483

Harlingen, TX $45,349

Pocatello, ID $45,341

Florence, AL $45,273

Brownsville, TX $45,262

Mcallen, TX $45,152

Dothan, AL $45,078

Columbus, MS $44,766

Altus, OK $44,522

Lawton, OK $44,422

Pierre, SD $44,233

What Skills Can Increase a Preparator's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Analysis (Mentioned in 9.43% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Phlebotomy (Mentioned in 3.41% Job Postings): Phlebotomy is the process of making a puncture in a vein, usually in the arm, with a cannula for the purpose of drawing blood.
Medical Laboratory (Mentioned in 1.98% Job Postings): Testing and analyzing medical and clinical specimens to help in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Analysis	9.43%
Phlebotomy	3.41%
Medical Laboratory	1.98%

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 Preparator's salary.

Clinical Diagnostic: Can increase your salary by up to 10%.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Product Testing: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Clinical Diagnostic	$57,752	10%
Collaboration	$56,177	7%
Product Testing	$55,652	6%
Molecular Biology	$54,602	4%
Oral Communication	$54,602	4%
Leadership	$54,602	4%

Get Latest Data

Preparator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Preparator'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 May 01, 2026

$48,405

Average $52,502/year

$56,694

$4,034

Average $4,375/month

$4,725

$931

Average $1,010/week

$1,090

$23

Average $25/hour

$27

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$56,694	$4,725	$1,090	$27
Average	$52,502	$4,375	$1,010	$25
25th Percentile	$48,405	$4,034	$931	$23

Salaries of jobs related to Preparator

Salary Trends for Preparator

Salaries for a Preparator can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $44,241 in 2023 to around $43,616 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Preparator salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Preparator Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$44,241

2024

$44,091

2025

$43,616

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$44,241
2024	$44,091
2025	$43,616
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Preparator

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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