A major in Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician explores Biology/biotechnology Technology/technician. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Apply Scientific Principles And Technical Skills In Support Of Biologists And Biotechnologists In Research, Industrial, And Government Settings. Includes Instruction In Fermentation Technology, Cell Culturing, Protein Purification, Biologic Synthesis, Assaying And Testing, Quality Control, Industrial Microbiology, Bioprocessing, Chromatography And Bioseparation, Genetic Technology, Laboratory And Hazardous Materials Safety, And Computer Applications. Examples: [Biotechnology Laboratory Technician], [Biology Laboratory Technician]. Read on to learn the important information every biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician programs.
Nationwide, biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician is a popular field of study, with 1,212 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician Schools ranking analyzes these 77 schools to determine the best overall colleges for biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician programs later in this article.
Studies in Biology Technician/Biotechnology Laboratory Technician build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 147 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 285 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 40 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 727 |
People currently working in careers related to biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 48.8% |
| Master’s degree | 29.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 14.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 2.8% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.4% |
| Some college courses | 1.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.0% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician can lead to a variety of career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Biological Technicians | 224,048 | 12.8% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $38,858 |
| 4 years | $48,226 |
| 5 years | $64,089 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Biological Technicians | $100,160 |
With 77 different biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased biology technician/biotechnology laboratory technician school rankings to help you.
More about our data sources and methodologies.