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

A Lab Specialist's salary grows with experience: a Phlebotomist (0-0 years)earns $42,549, a Hospital Lab Clerk (0-1 years)earns $43,741, a Lab Specialist (1-3 years)earns $48,940, a Medical Lab Technician II (3-5 years)earns $57,031,

What are the highest paying states for a Lab Specialist?

Lab Specialist salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lab Specialist roles are District of Columbia $53,761, California $53,557, Massachusetts $52,843. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lab Specialist roles make?

Salaries for Lab Specialist level roles vary by specialization: Lab Cytotechnologist: $97,300; Cardiovascular Technologist (Catheterization Lab): $84,600; Lab Support Specialist: $82,746; Lab Operations Specialist: $71,203; Petroleum Lab Specialist: $69,833.

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

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lab Specialist 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 Specialist Salary in the United States

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

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Specialist in the United States is $48,556 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $23.

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

Top Earners (90th percentile): $59,308
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,024 to $54,184
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $37,987

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Lab Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,184	$4,515	$1,042	$26
Average	$48,556	$4,046	$934	$23
25th Percentile	$43,024	$3,585	$827	$21

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Key Factors That Influence Lab Specialist Salaries

A Lab Specialist'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 Specialist 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 Specialists. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $53,761.
California: $53,557.
Massachusetts: $52,843.

District of Columbia $53,761 California $53,557 Massachusetts $52,843 Washington $52,649 New Jersey $52,629 Alaska $52,561 Connecticut $51,891 New York $51,619

Hawaii $50,750 Rhode Island $50,342 Maryland $50,066 Minnesota $49,687 Colorado $49,541 Illinois $49,493 Oregon $49,308 Delaware $49,172

New Hampshire $49,087 Virginia $48,895 Pennsylvania $48,337 Nevada $48,055 North Dakota $47,963 Michigan $47,817 Wisconsin $47,764 Vermont $47,657

Texas $47,361 Maine $47,342 Arizona $47,312 Ohio $47,278 Georgia $46,832 Indiana $46,608 Wyoming $46,565 Utah $46,497

Iowa $46,468 Kansas $46,235 Louisiana $46,167 North Carolina $46,142 Missouri $46,133 Florida $45,943 Montana $45,841 Nebraska $45,744

Kentucky $45,691 South Carolina $45,497 Tennessee $45,375 Idaho $45,327 New Mexico $44,972 Oklahoma $44,894 Alabama $44,608 South Dakota $44,127

Arkansas $43,865 West Virginia $43,724 Mississippi $43,302

Top Paying Cities for Lab Specialists

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: $61,243
San Francisco: $60,641
Oakland: $59,296

San Jose, CA $61,243

San Francisco, CA $60,641

Oakland, CA $59,296

New York, NY $56,271

Queens Village, NY $55,907

Paramus, NJ $55,518

Passaic, NJ $55,470

Bergenfield, NJ $55,421

Stamford, CT $55,348

Huntington, NY $55,300

Newark, NJ $54,984

Bridgeport, CT $54,887

New Brunswick, NJ $54,727

Vallejo, CA $54,625

Middlesex, NJ $54,596

Somerset, NJ $54,552

Petaluma, CA $54,440

Santa Cruz, CA $54,251

Boston, MA $54,154

Monterey, CA $53,911

Fairbanks, AK $53,877

Los Angeles, CA $53,785

Washington, DC $53,761

Seattle, WA $53,673

Santa Rosa, CA $53,664

Juneau, AK $53,523

Orange, CA $53,362

Anchorage, AK $53,275

Anaheim, CA $53,241

Santa Ana, CA $53,168

Nassau, NY $53,139

Long Beach, CA $53,120

Danbury, CT $53,105

Santa Maria, CA $52,940

Everett, WA $52,930

Bremerton, WA $52,692

Trenton, NJ $52,600

Sacramento, CA $52,581

San Diego, CA $52,556

Brockton, MA $52,537

Tacoma, WA $52,518

Santa Barbara, CA $52,450

Lowell, MA $52,255

New Suffolk, NY $52,236

Nashua, NH $52,178

Lompoc, CA $52,100

Ventura, CA $52,051

Stockton, CA $52,037

New Haven, CT $51,940

Atlantic City, NJ $51,814

Hartford, CT $51,707

Modesto, CA $51,682

Poughkeepsie, NY $51,576

New Britain, CT $51,551

Olympia, WA $51,483

Kennewick, WA $51,483

New London, CT $51,474

Norwich, CT $51,459

Lawrence, MA $51,435

Bakersfield, CA $51,299

Riverside, CA $51,231

New Bedford, MA $51,231

Richland, WA $51,182

Portsmouth, NH $51,144

Vineland, NJ $51,134

San Bernardino, CA $51,095

Boulder, CO $50,959

Worcester, MA $50,920

Portland, OR $50,876

Saint Paul, MN $50,818

Minneapolis, MN $50,818

Philadelphia, PA $50,750

Honolulu, HI $50,493

Springfield, MA $50,323

Providence, RI $50,318

Chicago, IL $50,177

Bellingham, WA $50,119

Baltimore, MD $50,066

Chico, CA $49,944

Wilmington, DE $49,862

Pittsfield, MA $49,813

Manchester, NH $49,721

Spokane, WA $49,507

Denver, CO $49,502

Albany, NY $49,274

Troy, NY $49,255

Schenectady, NY $49,153

Burlington, VT $49,046

Portland, ME $48,876

Salem, OR $48,837

Yakima, WA $48,827

Ann Arbor, MI $48,813

Rochester, MN $48,677

Fresno, CA $48,653

Reno, NV $48,653

Milwaukee, WI $48,609

Detroit, MI $48,560

Allentown, PA $48,546

Carson City, NV $48,541

Houston, TX $48,468

Colorado Springs, CO $48,463

Syracuse, NY $48,439

Eugene, OR $48,347

Bismarck, ND $48,288

Gary, IN $48,288

Galveston, TX $48,288

Springfield, OR $48,250

Medford, OR $48,133

Fort Collins, CO $48,114

Austin, TX $48,075

Mesa, AZ $47,973

Phoenix, AZ $47,963

Dallas, TX $47,949

Reading, PA $47,919

Saint Cloud, MN $47,900

Concord, NH $47,856

Madison, WI $47,837

Utica, NY $47,706

Raleigh, NC $47,667

Las Vegas, NV $47,662

Rochester, NY $47,628

Des Moines, IA $47,623

Atlanta, GA $47,546

Battle Creek, MI $47,531

Salt Lake City, UT $47,516

Lancaster, PA $47,444

Champaign, IL $47,434

Harrisburg, PA $47,376

Durham, NC $47,332

Kansas City, MO $47,327

Kansas City, KS $47,317

Fort Worth, TX $47,312

Boca Raton, FL $47,293

Cleveland, OH $47,288

Columbus, OH $47,278

Pittsburgh, PA $47,274

Richmond, VA $47,254

Indianapolis, IN $47,245

Cincinnati, OH $47,181

Petersburg, VA $47,109

Billings, MT $47,002

Lansing, MI $47,002

Huntsville, AL $47,002

Lebanon, PA $46,997

Dayton, OH $46,992

Pueblo, CO $46,992

Appleton, WI $46,977

Buffalo, NY $46,958

Racine, WI $46,934

Charlotte, NC $46,929

Saint Louis, MO $46,914

Springfield, IL $46,895

Elkhart, IN $46,885

York, PA $46,885

Gastonia, NC $46,880

Benton Harbor, MI $46,880

Beaumont, TX $46,851

Lorain, OH $46,841

Toledo, OH $46,822

Binghamton, NY $46,798

Rock Hill, SC $46,793

Rockford, IL $46,769

Fargo, ND $46,744

Elyria, OH $46,744

Flagstaff, AZ $46,710

Fort Lauderdale, FL $46,681

Miami, FL $46,652

Duluth, MN $46,574

Bangor, ME $46,511

Cedar Rapids, IA $46,458

Louisville, KY $46,434

Grand Rapids, MI $46,424

Hialeah, FL $46,419

Casper, WY $46,351

Scranton, PA $46,293

New Orleans, LA $46,278

Virginia Beach, VA $46,273

Akron, OH $46,249

Peoria, IL $46,186

Sarasota, FL $46,176

Green Bay, WI $46,142

Baton Rouge, LA $46,118

Charleston, SC $46,108

Nashville, TN $46,094

Jamestown, NY $46,084

Davenport, IA $46,084

Tucson, AZ $46,060

Cheyenne, WY $46,045

Saint Petersburg, FL $46,031

Tampa, FL $46,021

Omaha, NE $46,011

Port Arthur, TX $45,992

Evansville, IN $45,992

Bradenton, FL $45,972

Santa Fe, NM $45,885

Orlando, FL $45,836

Clearwater, FL $45,783

Canton, OH $45,681

La Crosse, WI $45,681

Grand Forks, ND $45,666

Albuquerque, NM $45,652

Tulsa, OK $45,652

Newport News, VA $45,647

High Point, NC $45,632

Ogden, UT $45,613

Corpus Christi, TX $45,574

Laramie, WY $45,545

Norfolk, VA $45,545

Rock Island, IL $45,516

Saginaw, MI $45,506

Jacksonville, FL $45,501

Salisbury, NC $45,492

Memphis, TN $45,482

Moline, IL $45,458

Fort Myers, FL $45,443

Waterloo, IA $45,380

Spartanburg, SC $45,331

Lincoln, NE $45,307

Fort Wayne, IN $45,297

Birmingham, AL $45,244

Cedar Falls, IA $45,234

Provo, UT $45,229

Springfield, OH $45,225

San Antonio, TX $45,215

Greensboro, NC $45,195

South Bend, IN $45,191

Winston Salem, NC $45,186

Boise, ID $45,171

Savannah, GA $45,137

Muskegon, MI $45,050

Lima, OH $44,992

Lake Charles, LA $44,972

Anderson, IN $44,962

Lexington, KY $44,948

Augusta, GA $44,933

Greenville, SC $44,933

Wichita, KS $44,890

Tuscaloosa, AL $44,890

Columbia, SC $44,846

Bloomington, IN $44,724

Roanoke, VA $44,695

Asheville, NC $44,632

Knoxville, TN $44,550

Shreveport, LA $44,545

Wilmington, NC $44,482

Frankfort, KY $44,389

Oklahoma City, OK $44,355

Chillicothe, OH $44,336

Longview, TX $44,331

Topeka, KS $44,317

Mobile, AL $44,244

Terre Haute, IN $44,224

Erie, PA $44,219

Altoona, PA $44,195

Melbourne, FL $44,181

Amarillo, TX $44,161

Killeen, TX $44,147

Fayetteville, AR $44,108

Sioux Falls, SD $44,074

Chattanooga, TN $44,045

Idaho Falls, ID $44,040

Gainesville, FL $43,938

Portsmouth, OH $43,914

Little Rock, AR $43,904

Lynchburg, VA $43,904

Lafayette, LA $43,884

Youngstown, OH $43,884

Temple, TX $43,865

Daytona Beach, FL $43,855

Clarksville, TN $43,850

Pensacola, FL $43,846

Hopkinsville, KY $43,700

Charleston, WV $43,695

Florence, SC $43,671

Sioux City, IA $43,642

Macon, GA $43,501

Tallahassee, FL $43,496

Fayetteville, NC $43,486

Waco, TX $43,477

Wichita Falls, TX $43,477

Pine Bluff, AR $43,457

Vincennes, IN $43,365

Lubbock, TX $43,345

Great Falls, MT $43,316

Alamogordo, NM $43,312

Abilene, TX $43,273

Rapid City, SD $43,210

Monroe, LA $43,210

Albany, GA $43,180

Huntington, WV $43,176

Jackson, MS $43,171

Greenville, MS $43,166

Parkersburg, WV $43,117

Montgomery, AL $43,108

Johnstown, PA $43,098

Springfield, MO $43,059

Biloxi, MS $43,035

Sumter, SC $42,933

Columbus, GA $42,928

Twin Falls, ID $42,899

Pascagoula, MS $42,836

Kingsport, TN $42,709

Gulfport, MS $42,695

Alexandria, LA $42,535

Fort Smith, AR $42,413

El Paso, TX $42,282

Helena, MT $42,219

Las Cruces, NM $42,064

Harlingen, TX $41,928

Pocatello, ID $41,884

Florence, AL $41,869

Brownsville, TX $41,860

Dothan, AL $41,782

Mcallen, TX $41,758

Columbus, MS $41,398

Altus, OK $41,175

Lawton, OK $41,083

Pierre, SD $40,908

What Skills Can Increase a Lab Specialist'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 Specialist'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	$50,983	5%
Coordination	$50,498	4%
Chemistry	$50,012	3%
Clinical Laboratory Science	$50,012	3%
Consulting	$50,012	3%
Hematology	$49,527	2%

Get Latest Data

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

Understanding how a Lab Specialist'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

$43,024

Average $48,556/year

$54,184

$3,585

Average $4,046/month

$4,515

$827

Average $934/week

$1,042

$21

Average $23/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,184	$4,515	$1,042	$26
Average	$48,556	$4,046	$934	$23
25th Percentile	$43,024	$3,585	$827	$21

Salaries of jobs related to Lab Specialist

Salary Trends for Lab Specialist

Salaries for a Lab Specialist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $52,870 in 2023 to around $52,609 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lab Specialist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lab Specialist Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$52,870

2024

$53,007

2025

$52,609

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$52,870
2024	$53,007
2025	$52,609
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lab Specialist

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401(k)

Disability

Healthcare

Pension

Time Off (days)

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