Lab Research Associate Salary in the United States
How much does a Lab Research Associate make in the United States?
As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Research Associate in the United States is $86,794 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $42.
However, a Lab Research Associate's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Top Earners (90th percentile): $102,240
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $77,355 to $94,879
Key Factors That Influence Lab Research Associate Salaries
A Lab Research Associate'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 Research Associate 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 Research Associates. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
District of Columbia: $96,098.
California: $95,734.
Massachusetts: $94,458.
District of Columbia$96,098
California$95,734
Massachusetts$94,458
Washington$94,111
New Jersey$94,076
Alaska$93,955
Connecticut$92,757
New York$92,271
Hawaii$90,717
Rhode Island$89,988
Maryland$89,493
Minnesota$88,816
Colorado$88,556
Illinois$88,469
Oregon$88,139
Delaware$87,896
New Hampshire$87,744
Virginia$87,402
Pennsylvania$86,404
Nevada$85,900
North Dakota$85,735
Michigan$85,475
Wisconsin$85,379
Vermont$85,188
Texas$84,659
Maine$84,624
Arizona$84,572
Ohio$84,511
Georgia$83,713
Indiana$83,314
Wyoming$83,236
Utah$83,114
Iowa$83,062
Kansas$82,645
Louisiana$82,524
North Carolina$82,480
Missouri$82,463
Florida$82,125
Montana$81,942
Nebraska$81,769
Kentucky$81,673
South Carolina$81,326
Tennessee$81,109
Idaho$81,022
New Mexico$80,389
Oklahoma$80,250
Alabama$79,738
South Dakota$78,878
Arkansas$78,410
West Virginia$78,158
Mississippi$77,403
Top Paying Cities for Lab Research Associates
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: $109,473
San Francisco: $108,275
Oakland: $105,993
San Jose, CA$109,473
San Francisco, CA$108,275
Oakland, CA$105,993
New York, NY$99,934
Paramus, NJ$98,719
Queens Village, NY$98,714
Passaic, NJ$98,632
Bergenfield, NJ$98,624
Stamford, CT$98,433
Huntington, NY$98,398
Newark, NJ$97,756
Bridgeport, CT$97,573
Vallejo, CA$97,400
New Brunswick, NJ$97,366
Petaluma, CA$97,314
Middlesex, NJ$97,149
Somerset, NJ$97,088
Santa Cruz, CA$96,975
Boston, MA$96,446
Monterey, CA$96,141
Seattle, WA$95,942
Santa Rosa, CA$95,925
Los Angeles, CA$95,899
Juneau, AK$95,673
Washington, DC$95,578
Orange, CA$95,269
Santa Ana, CA$95,040
Long Beach, CA$94,953
Anaheim, CA$94,935
Anchorage, AK$94,892
Santa Maria, CA$94,632
Everett, WA$94,614
Danbury, CT$94,309
Bremerton, WA$94,189
Tacoma, WA$93,876
New Suffolk, NY$93,875
Sacramento, CA$93,850
Santa Barbara, CA$93,755
Trenton, NJ$93,660
San Diego, CA$93,660
Brockton, MA$93,564
Fairbanks, AK$93,351
Lompoc, CA$93,130
Lowell, MA$93,060
Ventura, CA$93,043
Nashua, NH$93,026
Stockton, CA$93,017
Modesto, CA$92,384
Poughkeepsie, NY$92,193
Olympia, WA$92,028
Kennewick, WA$92,028
New Haven, CT$91,993
Lawrence, MA$91,681
Hartford, CT$91,594
Riverside, CA$91,576
New Bedford, MA$91,490
Richland, WA$91,490
Bakersfield, CA$91,368
San Bernardino, CA$91,333
New Britain, CT$91,325
Atlantic City, NJ$91,325
New London, CT$91,290
Norwich, CT$91,264
Portsmouth, NH$91,247
Boulder, CO$91,063
Portland, OR$90,943
Worcester, MA$90,934
Minneapolis, MN$90,665
Philadelphia, PA$90,544
Honolulu, HI$90,257
Saint Paul, MN$90,216
Vineland, NJ$90,196
Providence, RI$89,945
Chicago, IL$89,693
Bellingham, WA$89,589
Springfield, MA$89,519
Baltimore, MD$89,493
Chico, CA$89,276
Pittsfield, MA$89,042
Manchester, NH$88,877
Spokane, WA$88,495
Denver, CO$88,487
Albany, NY$88,079
Troy, NY$88,044
Nassau, NY$87,951
Schenectady, NY$87,862
Wilmington, DE$87,792
Burlington, VT$87,671
Salem, OR$87,636
Portland, ME$87,367
Yakima, WA$87,280
Rochester, MN$87,011
Reno, NV$86,968
Fresno, CA$86,968
Milwaukee, WI$86,890
Detroit, MI$86,803
Ann Arbor, MI$86,788
Allentown, PA$86,777
Colorado Springs, CO$86,629
Syracuse, NY$86,586
Carson City, NV$86,586
Houston, TX$86,464
Eugene, OR$86,421
Gary, IN$86,317
Springfield, OR$86,247
Bismarck, ND$86,230
Galveston, TX$86,169
Medford, OR$86,039
Fort Collins, CO$86,004
Concord, NH$85,961
Austin, TX$85,935
Mesa, AZ$85,753
Reading, PA$85,744
Phoenix, AZ$85,735
Dallas, TX$85,709
Saint Cloud, MN$85,626
Madison, WI$85,510
Utica, NY$85,275
Rochester, NY$85,136
Des Moines, IA$85,128
Raleigh, NC$85,119
Atlanta, GA$84,989
Battle Creek, MI$84,963
Salt Lake City, UT$84,937
Lancaster, PA$84,807
Harrisburg, PA$84,685
Kansas City, MO$84,598
Champaign, IL$84,581
Kansas City, KS$84,581
Fort Worth, TX$84,572
Columbus, OH$84,557
Boca Raton, FL$84,537
Pittsburgh, PA$84,503
Richmond, VA$84,468
Indianapolis, IN$84,451
Cleveland, OH$84,442
Las Vegas, NV$84,338
Cincinnati, OH$84,338
Petersburg, VA$84,208
Huntsville, AL$84,077
Lansing, MI$84,019
Lebanon, PA$84,008
Pueblo, CO$83,999
Appleton, WI$83,973
Buffalo, NY$83,939
Dayton, OH$83,913
Racine, WI$83,895
Charlotte, NC$83,886
Saint Louis, MO$83,860
York, PA$83,808
Elkhart, IN$83,808
Gastonia, NC$83,792
Billings, MT$83,771
Beaumont, TX$83,748
Lorain, OH$83,730
Benton Harbor, MI$83,713
Toledo, OH$83,696
Binghamton, NY$83,652
Rock Hill, SC$83,643
Rockford, IL$83,600
Springfield, IL$83,565
Elyria, OH$83,557
Fargo, ND$83,557
Flagstaff, AZ$83,496
Fort Lauderdale, FL$83,444
Duluth, MN$83,392
Miami, FL$83,392
Cheyenne, WY$83,331
Grand Forks, ND$83,331
Bangor, ME$83,140
Cedar Rapids, IA$83,045
Durham, NC$83,008
Louisville, KY$83,001
Grand Rapids, MI$82,984
Hialeah, FL$82,975
Casper, WY$82,854
Scranton, PA$82,749
New Orleans, LA$82,723
Virginia Beach, VA$82,715
Akron, OH$82,671
Peoria, IL$82,559
Sarasota, FL$82,541
Nashville, TN$82,480
Omaha, NE$82,480
Green Bay, WI$82,480
Baton Rouge, LA$82,437
Charleston, SC$82,420
Jamestown, NY$82,376
Davenport, IA$82,376
Tucson, AZ$82,333
Saint Petersburg, FL$82,281
Tampa, FL$82,263
Evansville, IN$82,211
Port Arthur, TX$82,211
Bradenton, FL$82,177
Santa Fe, NM$82,020
Orlando, FL$81,864
Clearwater, FL$81,838
Canton, OH$81,656
La Crosse, WI$81,656
Albuquerque, NM$81,604
Newport News, VA$81,595
High Point, NC$81,569
Ogden, UT$81,534
Corpus Christi, TX$81,465
Norfolk, VA$81,413
Laramie, WY$81,413
Rock Island, IL$81,361
Saginaw, MI$81,343
Jacksonville, FL$81,335
Salisbury, NC$81,317
Boise, ID$81,300
Moline, IL$81,257
Fort Myers, FL$81,231
Memphis, TN$81,213
Tulsa, OK$81,170
Waterloo, IA$81,118
Spartanburg, SC$81,031
Lincoln, NE$80,988
Fort Wayne, IN$80,970
Provo, UT$80,962
Cedar Falls, IA$80,857
San Antonio, TX$80,823
Greensboro, NC$80,788
South Bend, IN$80,779
Savannah, GA$80,684
Muskegon, MI$80,649
Birmingham, AL$80,640
Winston Salem, NC$80,598
Lake Charles, LA$80,389
Anderson, IN$80,371
Lexington, KY$80,345
Augusta, GA$80,319
Greenville, SC$80,319
Lima, OH$80,250
Wichita, KS$80,241
Tuscaloosa, AL$80,241
Columbia, SC$80,163
Springfield, OH$80,146
Asheville, NC$80,007
Bloomington, IN$79,946
Knoxville, TN$79,634
Shreveport, LA$79,625
Wilmington, NC$79,512
Roanoke, VA$79,512
Topeka, KS$79,356
Frankfort, KY$79,346
Oklahoma City, OK$79,286
Chillicothe, OH$79,252
Longview, TX$79,243
Melbourne, FL$79,234
Sioux Falls, SD$79,095
Mobile, AL$79,087
Terre Haute, IN$79,052
Altoona, PA$79,000
Amarillo, TX$78,939
Killeen, TX$78,913
Fayetteville, AR$78,844
Chattanooga, TN$78,818
Sioux City, IA$78,740
Idaho Falls, ID$78,722
Lynchburg, VA$78,653
Gainesville, FL$78,540
Portsmouth, OH$78,497
Little Rock, AR$78,479
Lafayette, LA$78,445
Youngstown, OH$78,445
Daytona Beach, FL$78,392
Clarksville, TN$78,384
Pensacola, FL$78,375
Temple, TX$78,369
Hopkinsville, KY$78,115
Erie, PA$78,097
Florence, SC$78,063
Charleston, WV$77,924
Great Falls, MT$77,880
Macon, GA$77,759
Tallahassee, FL$77,750
Fayetteville, NC$77,733
Waco, TX$77,715
Helena, MT$77,655
Pine Bluff, AR$77,622
Vincennes, IN$77,516
Lubbock, TX$77,481
Alamogordo, NM$77,429
Twin Falls, ID$77,351
Rapid City, SD$77,325
Jackson, MS$77,169
Huntington, WV$77,163
Greenville, MS$77,160
Parkersburg, WV$77,071
Montgomery, AL$77,056
Wichita Falls, TX$76,969
Springfield, MO$76,969
Biloxi, MS$76,926
Monroe, LA$76,839
Johnstown, PA$76,778
Sumter, SC$76,743
Columbus, GA$76,735
Pascagoula, MS$76,570
Abilene, TX$76,570
Kingsport, TN$76,344
Albany, GA$76,344
Gulfport, MS$76,318
Alexandria, LA$76,032
Fort Smith, AR$75,815
El Paso, TX$75,580
Las Cruces, NM$75,190
Harlingen, TX$74,969
Pocatello, ID$74,955
Florence, AL$74,843
Brownsville, TX$74,825
Mcallen, TX$74,643
Dothan, AL$74,521
Columbus, MS$74,006
Altus, OK$73,601
Lawton, OK$73,436
Pierre, SD$73,124
What Skills Can Increase a Lab Research Associate's Salary?
Demanded Skills for the Role:
Customer Service (Mentioned in 4.18% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
Pathology (Mentioned in 3.11% Job Postings): Analyzing and reviewing the cause, origin, and nature of diseases and illnesses to provide appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans.
Patient Care (Mentioned in 1.97% Job Postings): Patient care refers to the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the preservation of physical and mental well-being through services offered by health professionals.
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 Research Associate's salary.
CPT: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Presentation: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Problem Solving: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Lab Research Associate Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors
For Lab Research Associate roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential
by as much as 45% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries).
Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Software & Networking
sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average.
In contrast, Lab Research Associate positions in Retail & Wholesale or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay,
as these industries often view Lab Research Associate as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
The top paying industries for a Lab Research Associate
Industry Sector
Average Annual Salary
Average Hourly Rate
Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals
$104,153
$50.0
20%
Software & Networking
$104,153
$50.0
20%
Biotechnology
$99,813
$48.0
15%
Financial Services
$99,813
$48.0
15%
Aerospace & Defense
$95,474
$46.0
10%
How Education impacts a Lab Research Associate's Salary?
Your level of education can impact your salary potential.
While many Lab Research Associates 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 Research Associate with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between
$84,992
and $93,948).
Lab Research Associate Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay
Understanding how a Lab Research Associate'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
$77,355
Average$86,794/year
$94,879
$6,446
Average$7,233/month
$7,907
$1,488
Average$1,669/week
$1,825
$37
Average$42/hour
$46
Annual Salary
Monthly Pay
Weekly Pay
Hourly Wage
75th Percentile
$94,879
$7,907
$1,825
$46
Average
$86,794
$7,233
$1,669
$42
25th Percentile
$77,355
$6,446
$1,488
$37
Salaries of Jobs related to Lab Research Associate
Research Lab Manager$131,591
Lab Research Support Technician IV$84,490
Lab Research Support Technician III$71,590
Research Lab Technician$71,198
Research Lab Specialist$67,264
Research Lab Scientist$61,446
Lab Research Assistant$58,750
Lab Associate$56,865
Research Lab Tech$56,314
Lab Research Support Technician II$52,060
Lab Research Support Technician I$45,043
Salary Trends for Lab Research Associate
Salaries for a Lab Research Associate can change over time,
reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy.
The median salary decreased from $82,925 in 2023
to around $80,718 in 2025,
reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy.
For a detailed analysis of Lab Research Associate salary trends,
.
Average Annual Salary of Lab Research Associate Over Time
$???
$82,925
$81,873
$80,718
$???
$???
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
Year
Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023
$82,925
2024
$81,873
2025
$80,718
2026
View More
2027
View More
Most common benefits for Lab Research Associate
Social Security
401 (k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
Common company salaries for Lab Research Associate
Here are companies hiring for Lab Research Associate 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
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FAQ about Lab Research Associate
1. What industry pays the highest salary for Lab Research Associate?
The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Lab Research Associate 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.
