Specimen Processing Technician Salary in the United States
How much does a Specimen Processing Technician make in the United States?
As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Specimen Processing Technician in the United States is $76,962 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $37.
However, a Specimen Processing Technician's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $89,210
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $70,960 to $83,373
Key Factors That Influence Specimen Processing Technician Salaries
A Specimen Processing Technician'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, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
How Experience Level Affects Specimen Processing Technician Salaries?
Experience is a primary driver of a Specimen Processing Technician'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): $75,712
Early Career (1-2 years): $76,129
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $78,740
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $81,688
Expert (over 8 years): $82,215
Levels
Salary
Entry Level Specimen Processing Technician
$75,712
Intermediate Level Specimen Processing Technician
$76,129
Senior Level Specimen Processing Technician
$78,740
Specialist Level Specimen Processing Technician
$81,688
Expert Level Specimen Processing Technician
$82,215
$75,7120 yr
$76,129< 2 yrs
$78,7402-4 yrs
$81,6885-8 yrs
$82,215> 8 yrs
View as Table
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What Am I Worth?
How Do Specimen Processing Technician 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 Specimen Processing Technicians.
For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $85,213.
California: $84,890.
Massachusetts: $83,758.
District of Columbia$85,213
California$84,890
Massachusetts$83,758
Washington$83,450
New Jersey$83,420
Alaska$83,312
Connecticut$82,250
New York$81,819
Hawaii$80,441
Rhode Island$79,795
Maryland$79,356
Minnesota$78,756
Colorado$78,525
Illinois$78,448
Oregon$78,155
Delaware$77,940
New Hampshire$77,804
Virginia$77,501
Pennsylvania$76,616
Nevada$76,170
North Dakota$76,023
Michigan$75,793
Wisconsin$75,708
Vermont$75,539
Texas$75,069
Maine$75,038
Arizona$74,992
Ohio$74,938
Georgia$74,230
Indiana$73,876
Wyoming$73,807
Utah$73,699
Iowa$73,653
Kansas$73,284
Louisiana$73,176
North Carolina$73,137
Missouri$73,122
Florida$72,822
Montana$72,660
Nebraska$72,506
Kentucky$72,422
South Carolina$72,114
Tennessee$71,921
Idaho$71,844
New Mexico$71,283
Oklahoma$71,159
Alabama$70,705
South Dakota$69,943
Arkansas$69,528
West Virginia$69,305
Mississippi$68,635
Top Paying Cities for Specimen Processing Technicians
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: $97,073
San Francisco: $96,010
Oakland: $93,986
San Jose, CA$97,073
San Francisco, CA$96,010
Oakland, CA$93,986
New York, NY$88,614
Paramus, NJ$87,536
Queens Village, NY$87,532
Passaic, NJ$87,459
Bergenfield, NJ$87,452
Stamford, CT$87,283
Huntington, NY$87,252
Newark, NJ$86,683
Bridgeport, CT$86,520
Vallejo, CA$86,367
New Brunswick, NJ$86,336
Petaluma, CA$86,290
Middlesex, NJ$86,144
Somerset, NJ$86,090
Santa Cruz, CA$85,990
Boston, MA$85,521
Monterey, CA$85,250
Seattle, WA$85,074
Santa Rosa, CA$85,059
Los Angeles, CA$85,036
Juneau, AK$84,836
Washington, DC$84,751
Orange, CA$84,477
Santa Ana, CA$84,274
Long Beach, CA$84,197
Anaheim, CA$84,181
Anchorage, AK$84,143
Santa Maria, CA$83,912
Everett, WA$83,897
Danbury, CT$83,626
Bremerton, WA$83,520
Tacoma, WA$83,243
New Suffolk, NY$83,241
Sacramento, CA$83,219
Santa Barbara, CA$83,135
Trenton, NJ$83,050
San Diego, CA$83,050
Brockton, MA$82,965
Fairbanks, AK$82,777
Lompoc, CA$82,581
Lowell, MA$82,518
Ventura, CA$82,504
Nashua, NH$82,488
Stockton, CA$82,481
Modesto, CA$81,919
Poughkeepsie, NY$81,749
Olympia, WA$81,603
Kennewick, WA$81,603
New Haven, CT$81,572
Lawrence, MA$81,295
Hartford, CT$81,218
Riverside, CA$81,203
New Bedford, MA$81,126
Richland, WA$81,126
Bakersfield, CA$81,018
San Bernardino, CA$80,988
New Britain, CT$80,980
Atlantic City, NJ$80,980
New London, CT$80,949
Norwich, CT$80,926
Portsmouth, NH$80,911
Boulder, CO$80,747
Portland, OR$80,641
Worcester, MA$80,634
Minneapolis, MN$80,395
Philadelphia, PA$80,287
Honolulu, HI$80,033
Saint Paul, MN$79,996
Vineland, NJ$79,979
Providence, RI$79,756
Chicago, IL$79,533
Bellingham, WA$79,441
Springfield, MA$79,379
Baltimore, MD$79,356
Chico, CA$79,164
Pittsfield, MA$78,956
Manchester, NH$78,809
Spokane, WA$78,471
Denver, CO$78,463
Albany, NY$78,101
Troy, NY$78,071
Nassau, NY$77,988
Schenectady, NY$77,909
Wilmington, DE$77,847
Burlington, VT$77,740
Salem, OR$77,709
Portland, ME$77,470
Yakima, WA$77,393
Rochester, MN$77,155
Reno, NV$77,116
Fresno, CA$77,116
Milwaukee, WI$77,047
Detroit, MI$76,970
Ann Arbor, MI$76,957
Allentown, PA$76,947
Colorado Springs, CO$76,816
Syracuse, NY$76,778
Carson City, NV$76,778
Houston, TX$76,670
Eugene, OR$76,631
Gary, IN$76,539
Springfield, OR$76,478
Bismarck, ND$76,462
Galveston, TX$76,408
Medford, OR$76,293
Fort Collins, CO$76,262
Concord, NH$76,224
Austin, TX$76,200
Mesa, AZ$76,039
Reading, PA$76,031
Phoenix, AZ$76,023
Dallas, TX$76,000
Saint Cloud, MN$75,926
Madison, WI$75,823
Utica, NY$75,616
Rochester, NY$75,492
Des Moines, IA$75,485
Raleigh, NC$75,477
Atlanta, GA$75,362
Battle Creek, MI$75,338
Salt Lake City, UT$75,315
Lancaster, PA$75,200
Harrisburg, PA$75,092
Kansas City, MO$75,015
Champaign, IL$75,000
Kansas City, KS$75,000
Fort Worth, TX$74,992
Columbus, OH$74,979
Boca Raton, FL$74,961
Pittsburgh, PA$74,931
Richmond, VA$74,900
Indianapolis, IN$74,884
Cleveland, OH$74,877
Las Vegas, NV$74,784
Cincinnati, OH$74,784
Petersburg, VA$74,669
Huntsville, AL$74,553
Lansing, MI$74,502
Lebanon, PA$74,492
Pueblo, CO$74,484
Appleton, WI$74,461
Buffalo, NY$74,430
Dayton, OH$74,407
Racine, WI$74,392
Charlotte, NC$74,384
Saint Louis, MO$74,361
York, PA$74,315
Elkhart, IN$74,315
Gastonia, NC$74,300
Billings, MT$74,282
Beaumont, TX$74,261
Lorain, OH$74,246
Benton Harbor, MI$74,230
Toledo, OH$74,215
Binghamton, NY$74,176
Rock Hill, SC$74,169
Rockford, IL$74,130
Springfield, IL$74,099
Elyria, OH$74,092
Fargo, ND$74,092
Flagstaff, AZ$74,038
Fort Lauderdale, FL$73,992
Duluth, MN$73,945
Miami, FL$73,945
Cheyenne, WY$73,892
Grand Forks, ND$73,892
Bangor, ME$73,722
Cedar Rapids, IA$73,638
Durham, NC$73,605
Louisville, KY$73,599
Grand Rapids, MI$73,584
Hialeah, FL$73,576
Casper, WY$73,468
Scranton, PA$73,376
New Orleans, LA$73,353
Virginia Beach, VA$73,345
Akron, OH$73,307
Peoria, IL$73,207
Sarasota, FL$73,191
Nashville, TN$73,137
Omaha, NE$73,137
Green Bay, WI$73,137
Baton Rouge, LA$73,099
Charleston, SC$73,083
Jamestown, NY$73,045
Davenport, IA$73,045
Tucson, AZ$73,007
Saint Petersburg, FL$72,960
Tampa, FL$72,945
Evansville, IN$72,899
Port Arthur, TX$72,899
Bradenton, FL$72,868
Santa Fe, NM$72,729
Orlando, FL$72,591
Clearwater, FL$72,568
Canton, OH$72,406
La Crosse, WI$72,406
Albuquerque, NM$72,360
Newport News, VA$72,352
High Point, NC$72,329
Ogden, UT$72,298
Corpus Christi, TX$72,237
Norfolk, VA$72,191
Laramie, WY$72,191
Rock Island, IL$72,145
Saginaw, MI$72,129
Jacksonville, FL$72,121
Salisbury, NC$72,106
Boise, ID$72,091
Moline, IL$72,052
Fort Myers, FL$72,029
Memphis, TN$72,014
Tulsa, OK$71,975
Waterloo, IA$71,929
Spartanburg, SC$71,852
Lincoln, NE$71,814
Fort Wayne, IN$71,798
Provo, UT$71,791
Cedar Falls, IA$71,698
San Antonio, TX$71,667
Greensboro, NC$71,637
South Bend, IN$71,629
Savannah, GA$71,544
Muskegon, MI$71,513
Birmingham, AL$71,506
Winston Salem, NC$71,468
Lake Charles, LA$71,283
Anderson, IN$71,267
Lexington, KY$71,244
Augusta, GA$71,221
Greenville, SC$71,221
Lima, OH$71,159
Wichita, KS$71,152
Tuscaloosa, AL$71,152
Columbia, SC$71,082
Springfield, OH$71,067
Asheville, NC$70,944
Bloomington, IN$70,890
Knoxville, TN$70,613
Shreveport, LA$70,605
Wilmington, NC$70,505
Roanoke, VA$70,505
Topeka, KS$70,367
Frankfort, KY$70,358
Oklahoma City, OK$70,305
Chillicothe, OH$70,274
Longview, TX$70,267
Melbourne, FL$70,259
Sioux Falls, SD$70,136
Mobile, AL$70,128
Terre Haute, IN$70,097
Altoona, PA$70,051
Amarillo, TX$69,997
Killeen, TX$69,974
Fayetteville, AR$69,913
Chattanooga, TN$69,890
Sioux City, IA$69,820
Idaho Falls, ID$69,805
Lynchburg, VA$69,743
Gainesville, FL$69,643
Portsmouth, OH$69,605
Little Rock, AR$69,589
Lafayette, LA$69,559
Youngstown, OH$69,559
Daytona Beach, FL$69,512
Clarksville, TN$69,505
Pensacola, FL$69,497
Temple, TX$69,492
Hopkinsville, KY$69,266
Erie, PA$69,251
Florence, SC$69,220
Charleston, WV$69,097
Great Falls, MT$69,058
Macon, GA$68,951
Tallahassee, FL$68,943
Fayetteville, NC$68,928
Waco, TX$68,912
Helena, MT$68,858
Pine Bluff, AR$68,829
Vincennes, IN$68,735
Lubbock, TX$68,704
Alamogordo, NM$68,658
Twin Falls, ID$68,589
Rapid City, SD$68,566
Jackson, MS$68,427
Huntington, WV$68,422
Greenville, MS$68,420
Parkersburg, WV$68,341
Montgomery, AL$68,327
Wichita Falls, TX$68,250
Springfield, MO$68,250
Biloxi, MS$68,212
Monroe, LA$68,135
Johnstown, PA$68,081
Sumter, SC$68,050
Columbus, GA$68,042
Pascagoula, MS$67,896
Abilene, TX$67,896
Kingsport, TN$67,696
Albany, GA$67,696
Gulfport, MS$67,673
Alexandria, LA$67,419
Fort Smith, AR$67,227
El Paso, TX$67,019
Las Cruces, NM$66,673
Harlingen, TX$66,477
Pocatello, ID$66,465
Florence, AL$66,365
Brownsville, TX$66,349
Mcallen, TX$66,188
Dothan, AL$66,080
Columbus, MS$65,623
Altus, OK$65,264
Lawton, OK$65,118
Pierre, SD$64,841
What Skills Can Increase a Specimen Processing Technician's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 4.77% Job Postings): Troubleshooting is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system. It is a logical, systematic search for the source of a problem in order to solve it, and make the product or process operational again. Troubleshooting is needed to identify the symptoms. Determining the most likely cause is a process of elimination—eliminating potential causes of a problem. Finally, troubleshooting requires confirmation that the solution restores the product or process to its working state. In general, troubleshooting is the identification or diagnosis of "trouble" in the management flow of a system caused by a failure of some kind. The problem is initially described as symptoms of malfunction, and troubleshooting is the process of determining and remedying the causes of these symptoms. A system can be described in terms of its expected, desired or intended behavior (usually, for artificial systems, its purpose). Events or inputs to the system are expected to generate specific results or outputs. (For example, selecting the "print" option from various computer applications is intended to result in a hardcopy emerging from some specific device). Any unexpected or undesirable behavior is a symptom. Troubleshooting is the process of isolating the specific cause or causes of the symptom. Frequently the symptom is a failure of the product or process to produce any results. (Nothing was printed, for example). Corrective action can then be taken to prevent further failures of a similar kind.
Molecular Biology (Mentioned in 3.49% Job Postings): Molecular biology /məˈlɛkjʊlər/ is a branch of biology that concerns the molecular basis of biological activity between biomolecules in the various systems of a cell, including the interactions between DNA, RNA, proteins and their biosynthesis, as well as the regulation of these interactions. Writing in Nature in 1961, William Astbury described molecular biology as:
Infection Control (Mentioned in 2.52% Job Postings): Infection control is the discipline concerned with preventing nosocomial or healthcare-associated infection, a practical (rather than academic) sub-discipline of epidemiology. It is an essential, though often underrecognized and undersupported, part of the infrastructure of health care. Infection control and hospital epidemiology are akin to public health practice, practiced within the confines of a particular health-care delivery system rather than directed at society as a whole. Anti-infective agents include antibiotics, antibacterials, antifungals, antivirals and antiprotozoals. Infection control addresses factors related to the spread of infections within the healthcare setting (whether patient-to-patient, from patients to staff and from staff to patients, or among-staff), including prevention (via hand hygiene/hand washing, cleaning/disinfection/sterilization, vaccination, surveillance), monitoring/investigation of demonstrated or suspected spread of infection within a particular health-care setting (surveillance and outbreak investigation), and management (interruption of outbreaks). It is on this basis that the common title being adopted within health care is "infection prevention and control."
See More Skills
Skills
Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting
4.77%
Molecular Biology
3.49%
Infection Control
2.52%
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 Specimen Processing Technician's salary.
Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 32%.
Pathology: Can increase your salary by up to 27%.
Process Improvement: Can increase your salary by up to 19%.
Skill
Salary
Salary % Increase
Collaboration
$101,590
32%
Pathology
$97,742
27%
Process Improvement
$91,585
19%
Empathy
$90,816
18%
Risk Management
$90,046
17%
Patient Safety
$87,737
14%
Get Latest Data
Specimen Processing Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Specimen Processing Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Specimen Processing Technician positions in Biotechnology or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Specimen Processing Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Specimen Processing Technician
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare
$92,355
$44.0
20%
Pharmaceuticals
$84,659
$41.0
10%
How Education impacts a Specimen Processing Technician's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Specimen Processing Technicians enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree,
higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.
According to our 100% employer-reported salary data,
the median salary for a Specimen Processing Technician with a Bachelor's Degree is between
$70,300
and $73,919).
Specimen Processing Technician Salaries by Degree Level
Typical Education for Specimen Processing Technician
Understanding how a Specimen Processing Technician'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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on July 01, 2026
$70,960
Average$76,962/year
$83,373
$5,913
Average$6,414/month
$6,948
$1,365
Average$1,480/week
$1,603
$34
Average$37/hour
$40
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$83,373
$6,948
$1,603
$40
Average
$76,962
$6,414
$1,480
$37
25th Percentile
$70,960
$5,913
$1,365
$34
Salaries of jobs related to Specimen Processing Technician
Salaries for a Specimen Processing Technician can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $112,293 in 2023
to around $111,690 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Specimen Processing Technician salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Specimen Processing Technician Over Time
2022
$???
2023
$112,293
2024
$113,609
2025
$111,690
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$112,293
2024
$113,609
2025
$111,690
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Specimen Processing Technician
Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers
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Common company salaries for Specimen Processing Technician
Here are companies hiring for Specimen Processing Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.
C
$128,509/per year
C R Bard Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
H
$124,697/per year
Henry Schein Canada
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$123,899/per year
Nordex Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$120,416/per year
Nipro Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$115,870/per year
Enovis
Biotechnology
the United States
A
$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy
Biotechnology
the United States
M
$112,110/per year
MiniMed Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug Development
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$110,229/per year
Life Technologies Corp
Biotechnology
the United States
Z
$106,224/per year
Zimmer Biomet
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$103,077/per year
Promontory Therapeutics
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$102,181/per year
Steris PLC
Biotechnology
the United States
G
$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicines
Biotechnology
the United States
R
$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLC
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$94,235/per year
Pleno Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$93,666/per year
Simulaids Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
N
$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CAS
Biotechnology
the United States
O
$86,468/per year
Onward Technology
Biotechnology
the United States
L
$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
E
$84,682/per year
Eyeco Ltd
Biotechnology
the United States
P
$84,523/per year
Paerosol
Biotechnology
the United States
I
$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences Inc
Biotechnology
the United States
S
$82,815/per year
Stateside PPE
Biotechnology
the United States
D
$82,041/per year
Digi Bio
Biotechnology
the United States
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FAQ about Specimen Processing Technician
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Specimen Processing Technician?
The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Specimen Processing Technician roles,
with salaries approximately 20% above the market median.
Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?
Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.