Research Technician III Salary in the United States

How much does a Research Technician III make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Research Technician III in the United States is $69,879 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $83,081
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $63,027 to $76,790
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $56,789

Key Factors That Influence Research Technician III Salaries

A Research Technician III'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 Research Technician III 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 Research Technician IIIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $77,370.
  • California: $77,077.
  • Massachusetts: $76,050.

Top Paying Cities for Research Technician IIIs

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: $88,139
  • San Francisco: $87,174
  • Oakland: $85,337

What Skills Can Increase a Research Technician III's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 13.62% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Analysis (Mentioned in 3.15% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • Economics (Mentioned in 1.81% Job Postings): Economics is a social science that focuses on the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services, and analyzes the choices that individuals, businesses, governments, and nations make to allocate resources.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 13.62%
Data Analysis 3.15%
Economics 1.81%

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 Research Technician III's salary.

  • Insight: Can increase your salary by up to 22%.
  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Written Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Insight $85,253
22%
Biotechnology $74,771
7%
Written Communication $74,072
6%

Research Technician III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Research Technician III roles, the industry you choose can impact your earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the highest-paying industry, Healthcare, offers compensation 20% above the average. Conversely, Research Technician positions in Biotechnology typically offer lower base pay, as this sector often view Research Technician III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industry for a Research Technician III

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$83,855$40.020%

How Education impacts a Research Technician III's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Research Technician IIIs enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree 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 Research Technician III with a Bachelor's Degree is between $71,388 and $74,442).

Research Technician III Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Research Technician III
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 0.3%
Associates 1.6%
Bachelors 45.2%
Masters 42.8%
Doctorate 9.9%

Research Technician III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Research Technician III'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 September 01, 2026
$63,027
Average $69,879/year
$76,790
$5,252
Average $5,823/month
$6,399
$1,212
Average $1,344/week
$1,477
$30
Average $34/hour
$37
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $76,790 $6,399 $1,477 $37
Average $69,879 $5,823 $1,344 $34
25th Percentile $63,027 $5,252 $1,212 $30

Most common benefits for Research Technician III

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Research Technician III

Here are companies hiring for Research Technician III and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Research Technician III

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Research Technician III?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Research Technician III 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.

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.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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