Know your market value with insights across roles — from individual contributors to executive pay and overall company compensation trends.
Access a suite of powerful calculators to make data-driven career decisions.
Automate pay cycles, manage job architectures, and ensure pay equity with AI-powered compensation platforms.
Access validated salary benchmarks, labor market trends, and minimum wage data to stay competitive.
Participate in and purchase industry-specific salary surveys to obtain the most accurate, peer-reported pay data.
As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Research Lab Manager in California is $131,131 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $63.
However, a Research Lab Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered HR
Research Lab Manager Salaries by Percentile
| Annual Salary |
Monthly Pay |
Weekly Pay |
Hourly Wage |
|
| 75th Percentile | $143,735 | $11,978 | $2,764 | $69 |
| Average | $131,131 | $10,928 | $2,522 | $63 |
| 25th Percentile | $117,235 | $9,770 | $2,255 | $56 |
Conductor - San Jose, CA
Samsungsemiconductor - San Jose, CA
Samsungsemiconductor - San Jose, CA
Samsung Semiconductor - San Jose, CA
A Research Lab Manager'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.
Experience is a primary driver of a Research Lab Manager'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:
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Laborator... Level Research Lab Manager | $90,478 |
| Laborator... Level Research Lab Manager | $106,769 |
| Research ... Level Research Lab Manager | $130,205 |
| Laborator... Level Research Lab Manager | $158,037 |
| Laborator... Level Research Lab Manager | $185,194 |
What Am I Worth?
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 Research Lab Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
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:
For Research Lab Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 51% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Construction and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Research Lab Manager positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Research Lab Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.
| Industry Sector | Average Annual Salary | Average Hourly Rate | Pay vs.Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construction | $157,358 | $76.0 | 20% |
| Energy & Utilities | $150,801 | $73.0 | 15% |
| Media | $146,867 | $71.0 | 12% |
| Telecom | $145,556 | $70.0 | 11% |
| Aerospace & Defense | $144,244 | $69.0 | 10% |
Understanding how a Research Lab Manager'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.
| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75th Percentile | $143,735 | $11,978 | $2,764 | $69 |
| Average | $131,131 | $10,928 | $2,522 | $63 |
| 25th Percentile | $117,235 | $9,770 | $2,255 | $56 |
Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Research Lab Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.
Fabrion
San Francisco, CA
Fabrion | San Francisco, CA
ML/AI Research Engineer Agentic AI Lab (Founding Team)Location:San Francisco Bay Area Type:Full-Time Compensation:Competitive salary meaningful equity (fou... more
9 Days Ago
Veracity
Murrieta, CA
Veracity | Murrieta, CA
Lab Manager Murrieta I Wildomar, CA Full TimeThe Manager of Laboratory supervises the day-to-day operations of the lab and a team of CLS and lab assistants... more
9 Days Ago
Caltech (California)
Pasadena, CA
Caltech (California) | Pasadena, CA
Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundam... more
9 Days Ago
Carbon Health
Los Angeles, CA
Carbon Health | Los Angeles, CA
Laboratory Manager. Carbon Health is seeking a dependable and detail-oriented Laboratory Manager to support laboratory operations at a respected client sit... more
10 Days Ago
UC Davis Health System
Berkeley, CA
UC Davis Health System | Berkeley, CA
At the University of California, Berkeley, we are dedicated to fostering a community where everyone feels welcome and can thrive. Our culture of openness, ... more
9 Days Ago
Alan B. Miller Medical Center
Wildomar, CA
Alan B. Miller Medical Center | Wildomar, CA
Manager Of LaboratorySouthwest Healthcare Inland Valley Hospital in Wildomar, California, is a licensed 122-bed facility accredited by the Joint Commission... more
9 Days Ago
Get a Salary Increase
Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.
Search Job Openings
Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.
Adjust Employee Salary
Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.
Price My Industry Jobs
Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.
Use Salary.com's Cost of Living Calculator to find out what income you need to maintain your standard of living in a different city and how much more or less money you need to budget for basic expenses.
Explore Cost of Living CalculatorSalary.com experts will help you thrive your workplaces.
Salary.com provides salary survey data for thousands of industry Jobs.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:
