Manufacturing Lab Technician Salary in the United States

How much does a Manufacturing Lab Technician make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Manufacturing Lab Technician in the United States is $62,159 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $30.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $73,371
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $54,801 to $68,028
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $48,101
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View as table View as graph 25% $54,801 10% $48,101 90% $73,371 75% $68,028 $62,159 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Manufacturing Lab Technician Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $68,028 $5,669 $1,308 $33
Average $62,159 $5,180 $1,195 $30
25th Percentile $54,801 $4,567 $1,054 $26
Check out Manufacturing Lab Technician Job Openings in the United States
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Key Factors That Influence Manufacturing Lab Technician Salaries

A Manufacturing Lab 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 Manufacturing Lab Technician Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Manufacturing Lab 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): $43,890
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $56,124
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $62,670
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $69,191
  • Expert (over 8 years): $66,512
Levels Salary
Productio... Level Manufacturing Lab Technician$43,890
Productio... Level Manufacturing Lab Technician$56,124
Manufactu... Level Manufacturing Lab Technician$62,670
Productio... Level Manufacturing Lab Technician$69,191
Productio... Level Manufacturing Lab Technician$66,512
$43,890 0 yr
$56,124 < 2 yrs
$62,670 2-4 yrs
$69,191 5-8 yrs
$66,512 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Manufacturing Lab 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 Manufacturing Lab Technicians. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $68,823.
  • California: $68,562.
  • Massachusetts: $67,648.

Top Paying Cities for Manufacturing Lab 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: $78,402
  • San Francisco: $77,543
  • Oakland: $75,909

What Skills Can Increase a Manufacturing Lab Technician's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Troubleshooting (Mentioned in 5.12% 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.
  • Continuous Improvement (Mentioned in 3.47% Job Postings): A continual improvement process, also often called a continuous improvement process (abbreviated as CIP or CI), is an ongoing effort to improve products, services, or processes. These efforts can seek "incremental" improvement over time or "breakthrough" improvement all at once. Delivery (customer valued) processes are constantly evaluated and improved in the light of their efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility. Some see CIPs as a meta-process for most management systems (such as business process management, quality management, project management, and program management). W. Edwards Deming, a pioneer of the field, saw it as part of the 'system' whereby feedback from the process and customer were evaluated against organisational goals. The fact that it can be called a management process does not mean that it needs to be executed by 'management'; but rather merely that it makes decisions about the implementation of the delivery process and the design of the delivery process itself.
  • 5S (Mentioned in 1.95% Job Postings): Stands for sort, sustain, set in order, standardized and shine. 5 tips that are designed to achieve clean, uncluttered, safe, and well organized workplace for a more systematized work flow.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Troubleshooting 5.12%
Continuous Improvement 3.47%
5S 1.95%
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 Manufacturing Lab Technician's salary.
  • Billing: Can increase your salary by up to 14%.
  • Scheduling: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Products and Services: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Billing
$70,862
14%
Scheduling
$69,618
12%
Products and Services
$67,132
8%
Process Improvement
$66,510
7%
Leadership
$65,889
6%
Verbal Communication
$65,889
6%
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Manufacturing Lab Technician Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Manufacturing Lab Technician roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 70% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Aerospace & Defense sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 30% above the average. In contrast, Manufacturing Lab Technician positions in Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit or Hospitality & Leisure typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Manufacturing Lab Technician as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Manufacturing Lab Technician

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$80,807$39.030%
Aerospace & Defense$74,591$36.020%

How Education impacts a Manufacturing Lab Technician's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Manufacturing Lab Technicians 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 Manufacturing Lab Technician with a High School Diploma or Technical Certificate is between $51,850 and $55,935).

Manufacturing Lab Technician Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Manufacturing Lab Technician
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 2.0%
High School 24.5%
Associates 18.4%
Bachelors 51.0%
Masters 4.1%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Manufacturing Lab Technician Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Manufacturing Lab 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.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Manufacturing Lab Technician

Salaries for a Manufacturing Lab Technician can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $52,098 in 2023 to around $50,997 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Manufacturing Lab Technician salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Manufacturing Lab Technician Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$52,098
2024
$51,397
2025
$50,997
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $52,098
2024 $51,397
2025 $50,997
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Manufacturing Lab Technician

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Manufacturing Lab Technician

Here are companies hiring for Manufacturing Lab Technician and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Manufacturing Lab Technician Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Manufacturing Lab Technician job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Medical Lab Technician Testing-James Molecular Lab. The James Oncology Laboratory provides comprehensive, time sensitive laboratory services to patients wi... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Vertiv Holdings

    Columbus, OH

    Vertiv Holdings | Columbus, OH

    HVAC Lab Technician. The HVAC Lab Technician is an intermediate level position for testing with sufficient experience to handle most assignments. The Techn... more

    6 Days Ago

  • Vertiv Group Corp.

    Columbus, OH

    Vertiv Group Corp. | Columbus, OH

    Job DescriptionPosition Summary:The HVAC Lab Technician is an intermediate level position for testing with sufficient experience to handle most assignments... more

    7 Days Ago

  • Tailored Management

    Columbus, OH

    Tailored Management | Columbus, OH

    HVAC Lab Technician. Location: 1050 Dearborn Dr, Columbus, OH 43085 Duration: 6-month contract starting M-F, full-time (40 hours). W2. Pay: $30.97/hr. Hour... more

    9 Days Ago

  • Ohio State University

    Columbus, OH

    Ohio State University | Columbus, OH

    Lab Processing Technician - Histology - Evenings. Laboratory Processing Technician to work in the Histology Laboratory under the direct supervision of Lead... more

    9 Days Ago

  • CTL Engineering

    Columbus, OH

    CTL Engineering | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. Job Description. CTL Engineering is hiring for a. Lab Technician / Geologist. for our Soils Lab. Entry level/new grads in Geology are enco... more

    5 Days Ago

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FAQ about Manufacturing Lab Technician

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Manufacturing Lab Technician?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Manufacturing Lab Technician roles, with salaries approximately 30% 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.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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