How much does a Lab Preparator make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Preparator in the United States is $59,933 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $29.
However, a Lab Preparator's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $70,918
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $53,522 to $65,683
Key Factors That Influence Lab Preparator Salaries
A Lab Preparator's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors.
Below, we'll explore how geographic location, education
and company size
can directly affect your earning potential.
How Do Lab 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 Lab Preparators. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $66,358.
California: $66,106.
Massachusetts: $65,225.
District of Columbia$66,358
California$66,106
Massachusetts$65,225
Washington$64,985
New Jersey$64,961
Alaska$64,877
Connecticut$64,050
New York$63,715
Hawaii$62,642
Rhode Island$62,139
Maryland$61,797
Minnesota$61,329
Colorado$61,150
Illinois$61,090
Oregon$60,862
Delaware$60,694
New Hampshire$60,589
Virginia$60,353
Pennsylvania$59,663
Nevada$59,316
North Dakota$59,202
Michigan$59,022
Wisconsin$58,956
Vermont$58,824
Texas$58,459
Maine$58,435
Arizona$58,399
Ohio$58,357
Georgia$57,805
Indiana$57,530
Wyoming$57,476
Utah$57,392
Iowa$57,356
Kansas$57,068
Louisiana$56,984
North Carolina$56,954
Missouri$56,942
Florida$56,709
Montana$56,583
Nebraska$56,463
Kentucky$56,397
South Carolina$56,157
Tennessee$56,007
Idaho$55,947
New Mexico$55,510
Oklahoma$55,414
Alabama$55,060
South Dakota$54,467
Arkansas$54,143
West Virginia$53,970
Mississippi$53,448
Top Paying Cities for Lab 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: $75,593
San Francisco: $74,766
Oakland: $73,190
San Jose, CA$75,593
San Francisco, CA$74,766
Oakland, CA$73,190
New York, NY$69,006
Paramus, NJ$68,167
Queens Village, NY$68,164
Passaic, NJ$68,107
Bergenfield, NJ$68,102
Stamford, CT$67,970
Huntington, NY$67,945
Newark, NJ$67,503
Bridgeport, CT$67,376
Vallejo, CA$67,257
New Brunswick, NJ$67,233
Petaluma, CA$67,197
Middlesex, NJ$67,083
Somerset, NJ$67,041
Santa Cruz, CA$66,963
Boston, MA$66,598
Monterey, CA$66,387
Seattle, WA$66,250
Santa Rosa, CA$66,238
Los Angeles, CA$66,220
Juneau, AK$66,064
Washington, DC$65,998
Orange, CA$65,785
Santa Ana, CA$65,627
Long Beach, CA$65,567
Anaheim, CA$65,555
Anchorage, AK$65,525
Santa Maria, CA$65,345
Everett, WA$65,333
Danbury, CT$65,122
Bremerton, WA$65,039
Tacoma, WA$64,824
New Suffolk, NY$64,822
Sacramento, CA$64,806
Santa Barbara, CA$64,740
Trenton, NJ$64,674
San Diego, CA$64,674
Brockton, MA$64,608
Fairbanks, AK$64,461
Lompoc, CA$64,308
Lowell, MA$64,260
Ventura, CA$64,248
Nashua, NH$64,236
Stockton, CA$64,230
Modesto, CA$63,793
Poughkeepsie, NY$63,661
Olympia, WA$63,547
Kennewick, WA$63,547
New Haven, CT$63,523
Lawrence, MA$63,307
Hartford, CT$63,247
Riverside, CA$63,235
New Bedford, MA$63,175
Richland, WA$63,175
Bakersfield, CA$63,091
San Bernardino, CA$63,067
New Britain, CT$63,062
Atlantic City, NJ$63,062
New London, CT$63,038
Norwich, CT$63,020
Portsmouth, NH$63,008
Boulder, CO$62,881
Portland, OR$62,798
Worcester, MA$62,792
Minneapolis, MN$62,606
Philadelphia, PA$62,522
Honolulu, HI$62,324
Saint Paul, MN$62,296
Vineland, NJ$62,282
Providence, RI$62,109
Chicago, IL$61,935
Bellingham, WA$61,863
Springfield, MA$61,815
Baltimore, MD$61,797
Chico, CA$61,647
Pittsfield, MA$61,485
Manchester, NH$61,371
Spokane, WA$61,108
Denver, CO$61,102
Albany, NY$60,820
Troy, NY$60,796
Nassau, NY$60,732
Schenectady, NY$60,670
Wilmington, DE$60,622
Burlington, VT$60,538
Salem, OR$60,514
Portland, ME$60,329
Yakima, WA$60,269
Rochester, MN$60,083
Reno, NV$60,053
Fresno, CA$60,053
Milwaukee, WI$59,999
Detroit, MI$59,939
Ann Arbor, MI$59,929
Allentown, PA$59,921
Colorado Springs, CO$59,819
Syracuse, NY$59,789
Carson City, NV$59,789
Houston, TX$59,705
Eugene, OR$59,675
Gary, IN$59,603
Springfield, OR$59,555
Bismarck, ND$59,543
Galveston, TX$59,501
Medford, OR$59,412
Fort Collins, CO$59,388
Concord, NH$59,358
Austin, TX$59,340
Mesa, AZ$59,214
Reading, PA$59,208
Phoenix, AZ$59,202
Dallas, TX$59,184
Saint Cloud, MN$59,126
Madison, WI$59,046
Utica, NY$58,884
Rochester, NY$58,788
Des Moines, IA$58,782
Raleigh, NC$58,776
Atlanta, GA$58,686
Battle Creek, MI$58,668
Salt Lake City, UT$58,650
Lancaster, PA$58,561
Harrisburg, PA$58,477
Kansas City, MO$58,417
Champaign, IL$58,405
Kansas City, KS$58,405
Fort Worth, TX$58,399
Columbus, OH$58,389
Boca Raton, FL$58,375
Pittsburgh, PA$58,351
Richmond, VA$58,327
Indianapolis, IN$58,315
Cleveland, OH$58,309
Las Vegas, NV$58,237
Cincinnati, OH$58,237
Petersburg, VA$58,147
Huntsville, AL$58,057
Lansing, MI$58,017
Lebanon, PA$58,009
Pueblo, CO$58,003
Appleton, WI$57,985
Buffalo, NY$57,961
Dayton, OH$57,943
Racine, WI$57,931
Charlotte, NC$57,925
Saint Louis, MO$57,907
York, PA$57,871
Elkhart, IN$57,871
Gastonia, NC$57,860
Billings, MT$57,846
Beaumont, TX$57,829
Lorain, OH$57,817
Benton Harbor, MI$57,805
Toledo, OH$57,793
Binghamton, NY$57,763
Rock Hill, SC$57,757
Rockford, IL$57,727
Springfield, IL$57,703
Elyria, OH$57,697
Fargo, ND$57,697
Flagstaff, AZ$57,656
Fort Lauderdale, FL$57,620
Duluth, MN$57,584
Miami, FL$57,584
Cheyenne, WY$57,542
Grand Forks, ND$57,542
Bangor, ME$57,410
Cedar Rapids, IA$57,344
Durham, NC$57,319
Louisville, KY$57,314
Grand Rapids, MI$57,302
Hialeah, FL$57,296
Casper, WY$57,212
Scranton, PA$57,140
New Orleans, LA$57,122
Virginia Beach, VA$57,116
Akron, OH$57,086
Peoria, IL$57,008
Sarasota, FL$56,996
Nashville, TN$56,954
Omaha, NE$56,954
Green Bay, WI$56,954
Baton Rouge, LA$56,924
Charleston, SC$56,912
Jamestown, NY$56,882
Davenport, IA$56,882
Tucson, AZ$56,852
Saint Petersburg, FL$56,816
Tampa, FL$56,804
Evansville, IN$56,769
Port Arthur, TX$56,769
Bradenton, FL$56,745
Santa Fe, NM$56,637
Orlando, FL$56,529
Clearwater, FL$56,511
Canton, OH$56,385
La Crosse, WI$56,385
Albuquerque, NM$56,349
Newport News, VA$56,343
High Point, NC$56,325
Ogden, UT$56,301
Corpus Christi, TX$56,253
Norfolk, VA$56,217
Laramie, WY$56,217
Rock Island, IL$56,181
Saginaw, MI$56,169
Jacksonville, FL$56,163
Salisbury, NC$56,151
Boise, ID$56,139
Moline, IL$56,109
Fort Myers, FL$56,091
Memphis, TN$56,079
Tulsa, OK$56,049
Waterloo, IA$56,013
Spartanburg, SC$55,953
Lincoln, NE$55,923
Fort Wayne, IN$55,911
Provo, UT$55,906
Cedar Falls, IA$55,834
San Antonio, TX$55,810
Greensboro, NC$55,786
South Bend, IN$55,780
Savannah, GA$55,714
Muskegon, MI$55,690
Birmingham, AL$55,684
Winston Salem, NC$55,654
Lake Charles, LA$55,510
Anderson, IN$55,498
Lexington, KY$55,480
Augusta, GA$55,462
Greenville, SC$55,462
Lima, OH$55,414
Wichita, KS$55,408
Tuscaloosa, AL$55,408
Columbia, SC$55,354
Springfield, OH$55,342
Asheville, NC$55,246
Bloomington, IN$55,204
Knoxville, TN$54,989
Shreveport, LA$54,983
Wilmington, NC$54,905
Roanoke, VA$54,905
Topeka, KS$54,797
Frankfort, KY$54,790
Oklahoma City, OK$54,749
Chillicothe, OH$54,725
Longview, TX$54,719
Melbourne, FL$54,713
Sioux Falls, SD$54,617
Mobile, AL$54,611
Terre Haute, IN$54,587
Altoona, PA$54,551
Amarillo, TX$54,509
Killeen, TX$54,491
Fayetteville, AR$54,443
Chattanooga, TN$54,425
Sioux City, IA$54,371
Idaho Falls, ID$54,359
Lynchburg, VA$54,311
Gainesville, FL$54,233
Portsmouth, OH$54,203
Little Rock, AR$54,191
Lafayette, LA$54,167
Youngstown, OH$54,167
Daytona Beach, FL$54,131
Clarksville, TN$54,125
Pensacola, FL$54,119
Temple, TX$54,115
Hopkinsville, KY$53,940
Erie, PA$53,928
Florence, SC$53,904
Charleston, WV$53,808
Great Falls, MT$53,778
Macon, GA$53,694
Tallahassee, FL$53,688
Fayetteville, NC$53,676
Waco, TX$53,664
Helena, MT$53,622
Pine Bluff, AR$53,599
Vincennes, IN$53,526
Lubbock, TX$53,502
Alamogordo, NM$53,466
Twin Falls, ID$53,412
Rapid City, SD$53,394
Jackson, MS$53,286
Huntington, WV$53,282
Greenville, MS$53,280
Parkersburg, WV$53,219
Montgomery, AL$53,209
Wichita Falls, TX$53,149
Springfield, MO$53,149
Biloxi, MS$53,119
Monroe, LA$53,059
Johnstown, PA$53,017
Sumter, SC$52,993
Columbus, GA$52,987
Pascagoula, MS$52,873
Abilene, TX$52,873
Kingsport, TN$52,717
Albany, GA$52,717
Gulfport, MS$52,699
Alexandria, LA$52,501
Fort Smith, AR$52,351
El Paso, TX$52,190
Las Cruces, NM$51,920
Harlingen, TX$51,768
Pocatello, ID$51,758
Florence, AL$51,680
Brownsville, TX$51,668
Mcallen, TX$51,542
Dothan, AL$51,458
Columbus, MS$51,102
Altus, OK$50,823
Lawton, OK$50,709
Pierre, SD$50,494
What Skills Can Increase a Lab Preparator's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Analysis (Mentioned in 7.44% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Laboratory Equipment (Mentioned in 2.92% Job Postings): Utilizing various tools and equipment to conduct scientific researches, teach practical science, or perform laboratory experiments.
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.
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 Preparator's salary.
Clinical Research: Can increase your salary by up to 15%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 11%.
Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Lab Preparator Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Lab Preparator roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 110% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Software & Networking and Financial Services
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 40% above the average.
In contrast, Lab Preparator positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Transportation typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Lab Preparator as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Lab Preparator
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Software & Networking
$83,906
$40.0
40%
Financial Services
$77,913
$37.0
30%
Pharmaceuticals
$77,913
$37.0
30%
Biotechnology
$71,920
$35.0
20%
Healthcare
$71,920
$35.0
20%
How Education impacts a Lab Preparator's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Lab Preparators enter the field with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate 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 Lab Preparator with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$53,027
and $58,571).
Lab Preparator Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Lab 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.
Hourly
Monthly
Weekly
Yearly
Table View
Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$53,522
Average$59,933/year
$65,683
$4,460
Average$4,994/month
$5,474
$1,029
Average$1,153/week
$1,263
$26
Average$29/hour
$32
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$65,683
$5,474
$1,263
$32
Average
$59,933
$4,994
$1,153
$29
25th Percentile
$53,522
$4,460
$1,029
$26
Salaries of Jobs related to Lab Preparator
Lab Manager$134,255
Art Preparator$113,437
Lab Cytotechnologist$97,400
Lab Chemist$65,973
Chief Preparator$62,339
Lab Analyst$59,437
Preparator$52,527
Fossil Preparator$51,974
Lab Technician$46,687
Museum Preparator$41,667
Lab Courier$37,200
Salary Trends for Lab Preparator
Salaries for a Lab Preparator can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $56,221 in 2023
to around $55,981 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Lab Preparator salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Lab Preparator Over Time
$???
$56,221
$56,192
$55,981
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$56,221
2024
$56,192
2025
$55,981
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Lab Preparator
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Lab Preparator
Here are companies hiring for Lab Preparator and their salaries, click below for more details.
C$128,509/per year
C R Bard IncBiotechnologythe United States
H$124,697/per year
Henry Schein CanadaBiotechnologythe United States
N$123,899/per year
Nordex IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$120,416/per year
Nipro CorpBiotechnologythe United States
E$115,870/per year
EnovisBiotechnologythe United States
A$114,553/per year
Advanced Research Projects Agency - EnergyBiotechnologythe United States
M$112,110/per year
MiniMed IncBiotechnologythe United States
L$111,500/per year
Labcorp Drug DevelopmentBiotechnologythe United States
L$110,229/per year
Life Technologies CorpBiotechnologythe United States
Z$106,224/per year
Zimmer BiometBiotechnologythe United States
P$103,077/per year
Promontory TherapeuticsBiotechnologythe United States
S$102,181/per year
Steris PLCBiotechnologythe United States
G$97,274/per year
Gavin Conferences Pty LtdBiotechnologythe United States
E$94,764/per year
Endeavor BioMedicinesBiotechnologythe United States
R$94,402/per year
Replay Holdings LLCBiotechnologythe United States
P$94,235/per year
Pleno IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$93,666/per year
Simulaids IncBiotechnologythe United States
N$88,880/per year
NOIRLab/CASBiotechnologythe United States
O$86,468/per year
Onward TechnologyBiotechnologythe United States
L$84,895/per year
LED Medical Diagnostics IncBiotechnologythe United States
E$84,682/per year
Eyeco LtdBiotechnologythe United States
P$84,523/per year
PaerosolBiotechnologythe United States
I$83,525/per year
IONIQ Sciences IncBiotechnologythe United States
S$82,815/per year
Stateside PPEBiotechnologythe United States
D$82,041/per year
Digi BioBiotechnologythe United States
Find Your Next Lab Preparator Job
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FAQ about Lab Preparator
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lab Preparator?
The Software & Networking industry offers the highest average compensation for Lab Preparator roles,
with salaries approximately 40% 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.
