Biological Technicians
Explore safer careers (4)
Lower estimated automation risk
Why it fits
Fits technicians with microbiology experience using cultures, contamination control, assays, microscopy, and research reports.
Why it fits
Fits technicians pursuing scientist roles using cell methods, molecular assays, experiments, data interpretation, and literature.
Why it fits
Transfers protocol discipline, study records, specimens, endpoints, consent context, site files, and follow-up tracking.
Why it fits
Applies field sampling, chain of custody, instruments, contamination control, safety, records, and lab coordination.
Occupation snapshot
What does this snowflake show?
What's this?
We rate jobs using four factors. These are:
- Chance of being automated
- Job growth
- Wages
- Volume of available positions
These are some key things to think about when job hunting.
Risk & user votes
Calculated automation risk
Low Risk (21-40%): This occupation has a lower risk of full replacement by AI, software, or robotic systems. Some tasks may be automated or assisted, but the role usually still relies on human judgement, communication, responsibility, physical adaptability, or practical decision-making.
More information on what this score is, and how it is calculated is available here.
Human strengths important in this job
These are human abilities and work contexts that are important in this occupation. They may help explain why parts of the role are harder to replace end-to-end, but they are not the only inputs into the automation score.
Decision-making and problem solving
Very importantWhy this matters
Thinking creatively
Quite importantWhy this matters
Developing objectives and strategies
Quite importantWhy this matters
Active learning
Quite importantWhy this matters
What users think
Based on 62 votes
Our visitors have voted they are unsure if this occupation will be automated. However, employees may be able to find reassurance in the automated risk level we have generated, which shows 33% chance of automation.
What do you think the risk of automation is?
What is the likelihood that Biological Technicians will be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence within the next 20 years?
Sentiment
Based on user votes over time
View sentiment trend
How opinions have changed over time
Pay & outlook
Wages
In 2024, the median annual wage for Biological Technicians was $52,000 ($25 per hour).
The median annual wage for Biological Technicians was 5.1% higher than the national median annual wage, which stood at $49,500.
View wage trend
Wages over time
Growth
The number of 'Biological Technicians' job openings is expected to rise 3.5% by 2034
View employment trend
Total employment, and estimated job openings
Updated projections are due 09-2025.
Volume
As of 2024 there were 76,190 people employed as 'Biological Technicians' within the United States.
This represents around < 0.001% of the employed workforce across the country
Put another way, around 1 in 2 thousand people are employed as 'Biological Technicians'.
People also viewed
Job description
Assist biological and medical scientists. Set up, operate, and maintain laboratory instruments and equipment, monitor experiments, collect data and samples, make observations, and calculate and record results. May analyze organic substances, such as blood, food, and drugs.
O*NET-SOC code: 19-4021.00
What people are saying (3)
Aspects of lab tech work will be automated, increasing productivity of already employed techs, but it will not outright replace everything that they do, it is not feasible.
And yet, there is still so much work left to do. I welcome and love automation for my work, because it frees me up to work on other projects and ideas. Research is funding scarce, yet there are so many ideas and projects to explore in order to generate results.
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