Salary guide, May 2025
Bioprocess Technician pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Biological Technicians in the United States was $57,510 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $48,130 and $71,520.
Also searched as: Biomanufacturing Technician, Upstream / Downstream Manufacturing Associate, Cell Culture Technician. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Closest proxy · SOC 19-4021 Biological Technicians
The Bioprocess Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,330 | $48,130 | $57,510 | $71,520 | $84,940 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $19.39 | $23.14 | $27.65 | $34.39 | $40.84 |
BLS estimated 69,620 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 19-4021 Biological Technicians, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $52,570 | $38,380 to $64,840 | 860 | 0.68 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $49,180 | $39,050 to $61,100 | 810 | 1.26 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $45,290 | $36,400 to $57,380 | 440 | 0.7 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $64,200 | $57,400 to $78,700 | 350 | 1.04 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,780 | $53,180 to $75,680 | 3,270 | 0.77 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $62,780 | $53,180 to $75,680 | 3,270 | 0.77 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $45,750 | $40,250 to $54,220 | 220 | 0.12 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $57,700 | $44,070 to $70,060 | 470 | 0.23 |
Rank every metro for Bioprocess Technician
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$65,930 Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$65,810 Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$63,440 Chemical Manufacturing$63,190 Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$63,190 Manufacturing$63,080 Miscellaneous Manufacturing$62,120 Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$62,120 Dairy Product Manufacturing$57,580 Food Manufacturing$51,080 Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)$49,310 Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing$48,190
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$65,930
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$65,810
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$63,440
- Chemical Manufacturing$63,190
- Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing$63,190
- Manufacturing$63,080
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing$62,120
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$62,120
- Dairy Product Manufacturing$57,580
- Food Manufacturing$51,080
- Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)$49,310
- Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing$48,190
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 6,990 | $50,180 | $63,080 | $78,660 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 6,570 | $50,110 | $63,190 | $78,660 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 6,320 | $50,180 | $63,190 | $78,660 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 190 | $51,980 | $63,440 | $74,500 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 170 | $46,470 | $51,080 | $57,720 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 110 | $62,100 | $62,120 | $76,100 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 110 | $62,100 | $62,120 | $76,100 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 70 | $62,350 | $65,930 | $74,600 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 70 | $62,350 | $65,810 | $74,600 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 60 | $40,290 | $49,310 | $66,400 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 50 | $45,940 | $48,190 | $49,900 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 30 | $50,960 | $57,580 | $57,720 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Bioprocess Technician, write the straight-time rate separately from shift coverage and extra hours. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $45,380 | $52,000 | $66,410 |
| May 2025 | $48,130 | $57,510 | $71,520 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about media, buffers and utilities?
Preparation steps need accuracy. We ask about media and buffer preparation, pH and conductivity checks and the handling of water and clean steam systems. A technician who treats preparation as the foundation of success usually has fewer lot problems.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Bioprocess Technician?
The median annual wage for Biological Technicians in the United States was $57,510 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $48,130 and $71,520. This is the closest proxy BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $40,330. 90% earned less than $84,940.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Bioprocess Technician at a plant?
The Bioprocess Technician title maps to the published occupation. BLS does not separate this process, credential, shift or plant-specific title from other work in the occupation. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 69,620 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters assesses the Bioprocess Technician role, mapped to SOC 19-4021 for Biological Technicians. The national median annual wage is $57,510, marking a significant increase of $5,510 since May 2024. This technical role requires proficiency in aseptic techniques, CIP/SIP procedures, and bioreactor or chromatography system management.
The SOC includes a wide range of laboratory and manufacturing work, so these figures should be interpreted in the context of the production environment.
The national middle-band width for this occupation is $23,390, spanning from the P25 salary of $48,130 to the P75 salary of $71,520. Industry medians vary, with Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing showing a median of $65,930, while specialized Chemical Manufacturing sectors show a median of $63,440. These industry figures are higher than the overall occupational median, illustrating the higher value placed on technical laboratory and bioprocessing skills.
Regarding geography, the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, metro area reports a median of $61,610 and a location quotient of 6.05. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, metro reports a median of $62,780 with a location quotient of 0.77. The high location quotient in Boston confirms it as a significant cluster for biological and bioprocessing technicians, contributing to its distinct labor profile compared to the national baseline.
This data reflects base wages only and omits performance bonuses, technical certifications, and differential pay for rotating shifts. Since the BLS aggregates all biological technician work, including non-manufacturing roles, the provided salary range represents a broader spectrum of work. Employers should recognize that specialized bioprocessing responsibilities often require premium pay compared to the general lab-based roles captured in this classification.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
What is the P25/P75 middle-band width for this occupation?
The national middle-band width is $23,390, calculated from the 25th percentile ($48,130) and the 75th percentile ($71,520).
How did the median annual wage change between May 2024 and May 2025?
The median wage increased by $5,510, rising from $52,000 in May 2024 to $57,510 in May 2025. This shows a notable shift in national compensation for this role.
What does a high location quotient in Boston indicate?
A location quotient of 6.05 indicates that biological technician roles are highly concentrated in the Boston region compared to the rest of the nation. It represents an employment density, not salary levels.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4