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 $42,579, a Hospital Lab Clerk (0-1 years)earns $43,740, a Lab Specialist (1-3 years)earns $48,927, a Medical Lab Technician II (3-5 years)earns $57,027,

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 $53,748, California $53,544, Massachusetts $52,831. 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: $82,693; Lab Operations Specialist: $71,172; Petroleum Lab Specialist: $69,746.

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 January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Specialist in the United States is $48,544 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): $59,317
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $43,026 to $54,183
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $38,001

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Lab Specialist Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,183	$4,515	$1,042	$26
Average	$48,544	$4,045	$934	$23
25th Percentile	$43,026	$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: $53,748.
California: $53,544.
Massachusetts: $52,831.

District of Columbia $53,748 California $53,544 Massachusetts $52,831 Washington $52,636 New Jersey $52,617 Alaska $52,549 Connecticut $51,879 New York $51,607

Hawaii $50,738 Rhode Island $50,331 Maryland $50,054 Minnesota $49,675 Colorado $49,530 Illinois $49,481 Oregon $49,297 Delaware $49,161

New Hampshire $49,075 Virginia $48,884 Pennsylvania $48,326 Nevada $48,044 North Dakota $47,952 Michigan $47,806 Wisconsin $47,753 Vermont $47,646

Texas $47,350 Maine $47,330 Arizona $47,301 Ohio $47,267 Georgia $46,821 Indiana $46,597 Wyoming $46,554 Utah $46,486

Iowa $46,457 Kansas $46,224 Louisiana $46,156 North Carolina $46,131 Missouri $46,122 Florida $45,932 Montana $45,830 Nebraska $45,733

Kentucky $45,680 South Carolina $45,486 Tennessee $45,364 Idaho $45,316 New Mexico $44,962 Oklahoma $44,884 Alabama $44,597 South Dakota $44,117

Arkansas $43,855 West Virginia $43,714 Mississippi $43,292

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: $61,229
San Francisco: $60,627
Oakland: $59,282

San Jose, CA $61,229

San Francisco, CA $60,627

Oakland, CA $59,282

New York, NY $56,258

Queens Village, NY $55,894

Paramus, NJ $55,505

Passaic, NJ $55,457

Bergenfield, NJ $55,408

Stamford, CT $55,335

Huntington, NY $55,287

Newark, NJ $54,971

Bridgeport, CT $54,874

New Brunswick, NJ $54,714

Vallejo, CA $54,612

Middlesex, NJ $54,583

Somerset, NJ $54,539

Petaluma, CA $54,428

Santa Cruz, CA $54,238

Boston, MA $54,141

Monterey, CA $53,899

Fairbanks, AK $53,865

Los Angeles, CA $53,772

Washington, DC $53,748

Seattle, WA $53,661

Santa Rosa, CA $53,651

Juneau, AK $53,510

Orange, CA $53,350

Anchorage, AK $53,263

Anaheim, CA $53,229

Santa Ana, CA $53,156

Nassau, NY $53,127

Long Beach, CA $53,107

Danbury, CT $53,093

Santa Maria, CA $52,928

Everett, WA $52,918

Bremerton, WA $52,680

Trenton, NJ $52,588

Sacramento, CA $52,568

San Diego, CA $52,544

Brockton, MA $52,525

Tacoma, WA $52,505

Santa Barbara, CA $52,437

Lowell, MA $52,243

New Suffolk, NY $52,224

Nashua, NH $52,165

Lompoc, CA $52,088

Ventura, CA $52,039

Stockton, CA $52,025

New Haven, CT $51,928

Atlantic City, NJ $51,801

Hartford, CT $51,695

Modesto, CA $51,670

Poughkeepsie, NY $51,564

New Britain, CT $51,539

Olympia, WA $51,471

Kennewick, WA $51,471

New London, CT $51,462

Norwich, CT $51,447

Lawrence, MA $51,423

Bakersfield, CA $51,287

Riverside, CA $51,219

New Bedford, MA $51,219

Richland, WA $51,170

Portsmouth, NH $51,132

Vineland, NJ $51,122

San Bernardino, CA $51,083

Boulder, CO $50,947

Worcester, MA $50,908

Portland, OR $50,865

Saint Paul, MN $50,806

Minneapolis, MN $50,806

Philadelphia, PA $50,738

Honolulu, HI $50,481

Springfield, MA $50,311

Providence, RI $50,306

Chicago, IL $50,165

Bellingham, WA $50,107

Baltimore, MD $50,054

Chico, CA $49,932

Wilmington, DE $49,850

Pittsfield, MA $49,801

Manchester, NH $49,709

Spokane, WA $49,496

Denver, CO $49,491

Albany, NY $49,263

Troy, NY $49,243

Schenectady, NY $49,141

Burlington, VT $49,034

Portland, ME $48,864

Salem, OR $48,826

Yakima, WA $48,816

Ann Arbor, MI $48,801

Rochester, MN $48,665

Fresno, CA $48,641

Reno, NV $48,641

Milwaukee, WI $48,597

Detroit, MI $48,549

Allentown, PA $48,534

Carson City, NV $48,530

Houston, TX $48,457

Colorado Springs, CO $48,452

Syracuse, NY $48,428

Eugene, OR $48,335

Bismarck, ND $48,277

Gary, IN $48,277

Galveston, TX $48,277

Springfield, OR $48,238

Medford, OR $48,122

Fort Collins, CO $48,102

Austin, TX $48,064

Mesa, AZ $47,962

Phoenix, AZ $47,952

Dallas, TX $47,937

Reading, PA $47,908

Saint Cloud, MN $47,889

Concord, NH $47,845

Madison, WI $47,826

Utica, NY $47,695

Raleigh, NC $47,656

Las Vegas, NV $47,651

Rochester, NY $47,617

Des Moines, IA $47,612

Atlanta, GA $47,534

Battle Creek, MI $47,520

Salt Lake City, UT $47,505

Lancaster, PA $47,432

Champaign, IL $47,423

Harrisburg, PA $47,364

Durham, NC $47,321

Kansas City, MO $47,316

Kansas City, KS $47,306

Fort Worth, TX $47,301

Boca Raton, FL $47,282

Cleveland, OH $47,277

Columbus, OH $47,267

Pittsburgh, PA $47,263

Richmond, VA $47,243

Indianapolis, IN $47,233

Cincinnati, OH $47,170

Petersburg, VA $47,097

Billings, MT $46,991

Lansing, MI $46,991

Huntsville, AL $46,991

Lebanon, PA $46,986

Dayton, OH $46,981

Pueblo, CO $46,981

Appleton, WI $46,966

Buffalo, NY $46,947

Racine, WI $46,923

Charlotte, NC $46,918

Saint Louis, MO $46,903

Springfield, IL $46,884

Elkhart, IN $46,874

York, PA $46,874

Gastonia, NC $46,869

Benton Harbor, MI $46,869

Beaumont, TX $46,840

Lorain, OH $46,830

Toledo, OH $46,811

Binghamton, NY $46,787

Rock Hill, SC $46,782

Rockford, IL $46,758

Fargo, ND $46,733

Elyria, OH $46,733

Flagstaff, AZ $46,699

Fort Lauderdale, FL $46,670

Miami, FL $46,641

Duluth, MN $46,564

Bangor, ME $46,500

Cedar Rapids, IA $46,447

Louisville, KY $46,423

Grand Rapids, MI $46,413

Hialeah, FL $46,408

Casper, WY $46,340

Scranton, PA $46,282

New Orleans, LA $46,267

Virginia Beach, VA $46,263

Akron, OH $46,238

Peoria, IL $46,175

Sarasota, FL $46,165

Green Bay, WI $46,131

Baton Rouge, LA $46,107

Charleston, SC $46,097

Nashville, TN $46,083

Jamestown, NY $46,073

Davenport, IA $46,073

Tucson, AZ $46,049

Cheyenne, WY $46,034

Saint Petersburg, FL $46,020

Tampa, FL $46,010

Omaha, NE $46,000

Port Arthur, TX $45,981

Evansville, IN $45,981

Bradenton, FL $45,962

Santa Fe, NM $45,874

Orlando, FL $45,826

Clearwater, FL $45,772

Canton, OH $45,670

La Crosse, WI $45,670

Grand Forks, ND $45,656

Albuquerque, NM $45,641

Tulsa, OK $45,641

Newport News, VA $45,636

High Point, NC $45,622

Ogden, UT $45,602

Corpus Christi, TX $45,563

Laramie, WY $45,534

Norfolk, VA $45,534

Rock Island, IL $45,505

Saginaw, MI $45,496

Jacksonville, FL $45,491

Salisbury, NC $45,481

Memphis, TN $45,471

Moline, IL $45,447

Fort Myers, FL $45,432

Waterloo, IA $45,369

Spartanburg, SC $45,321

Lincoln, NE $45,296

Fort Wayne, IN $45,287

Birmingham, AL $45,233

Cedar Falls, IA $45,224

Provo, UT $45,219

Springfield, OH $45,214

San Antonio, TX $45,204

Greensboro, NC $45,185

South Bend, IN $45,180

Winston Salem, NC $45,175

Boise, ID $45,161

Savannah, GA $45,127

Muskegon, MI $45,039

Lima, OH $44,981

Lake Charles, LA $44,962

Anderson, IN $44,952

Lexington, KY $44,937

Augusta, GA $44,923

Greenville, SC $44,923

Wichita, KS $44,879

Tuscaloosa, AL $44,879

Columbia, SC $44,835

Bloomington, IN $44,714

Roanoke, VA $44,685

Asheville, NC $44,622

Knoxville, TN $44,539

Shreveport, LA $44,534

Wilmington, NC $44,471

Frankfort, KY $44,379

Oklahoma City, OK $44,345

Chillicothe, OH $44,326

Longview, TX $44,321

Topeka, KS $44,306

Mobile, AL $44,233

Terre Haute, IN $44,214

Erie, PA $44,209

Altoona, PA $44,185

Melbourne, FL $44,170

Amarillo, TX $44,151

Killeen, TX $44,136

Fayetteville, AR $44,097

Sioux Falls, SD $44,063

Chattanooga, TN $44,034

Idaho Falls, ID $44,029

Gainesville, FL $43,928

Portsmouth, OH $43,903

Little Rock, AR $43,894

Lynchburg, VA $43,894

Lafayette, LA $43,874

Youngstown, OH $43,874

Temple, TX $43,855

Daytona Beach, FL $43,845

Clarksville, TN $43,840

Pensacola, FL $43,835

Hopkinsville, KY $43,690

Charleston, WV $43,685

Florence, SC $43,661

Sioux City, IA $43,631

Macon, GA $43,491

Tallahassee, FL $43,486

Fayetteville, NC $43,476

Waco, TX $43,466

Wichita Falls, TX $43,466

Pine Bluff, AR $43,447

Vincennes, IN $43,355

Lubbock, TX $43,335

Great Falls, MT $43,306

Alamogordo, NM $43,301

Abilene, TX $43,263

Rapid City, SD $43,199

Monroe, LA $43,199

Albany, GA $43,170

Huntington, WV $43,165

Jackson, MS $43,161

Greenville, MS $43,156

Parkersburg, WV $43,107

Montgomery, AL $43,097

Johnstown, PA $43,088

Springfield, MO $43,049

Biloxi, MS $43,025

Sumter, SC $42,923

Columbus, GA $42,918

Twin Falls, ID $42,889

Pascagoula, MS $42,826

Kingsport, TN $42,699

Gulfport, MS $42,685

Alexandria, LA $42,525

Fort Smith, AR $42,403

El Paso, TX $42,272

Helena, MT $42,209

Las Cruces, NM $42,054

Harlingen, TX $41,918

Pocatello, ID $41,874

Florence, AL $41,860

Brownsville, TX $41,850

Dothan, AL $41,772

Mcallen, TX $41,748

Columbus, MS $41,389

Altus, OK $41,165

Lawton, OK $41,073

Pierre, SD $40,898

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	$50,971	5%
Coordination	$50,486	4%
Chemistry	$50,000	3%
Clinical Laboratory Science	$50,000	3%
Consulting	$50,000	3%
Hematology	$49,515	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 January 01, 2026

$43,026

Average $48,544/year

$54,183

$3,585

Average $4,045/month

$4,515

$827

Average $934/week

$1,042

$21

Average $23/hour

$26

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$54,183	$4,515	$1,042	$26
Average	$48,544	$4,045	$934	$23
25th Percentile	$43,026	$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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Disability

Healthcare

Pension

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