Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other (SOC 19-4099) earn a median $62,280 a year ($29.94 an hour) in the United States, with 73,910 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oklahoma.
What life, physical, and social science technicians, all other do
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, is the residual category for technicians who support scientists in biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, or the social sciences but do not fit any of the more specific technician occupations, such as biological, chemical, geological, hydrologic, nuclear, forensic, or agricultural technicians. As technicians, they work under a scientist's direction, helping set up and run equipment, collect and record data, and perform routine tests or analyses. Titles reported to O*NET include assistant oceanographer, city planning aide, and data reduction technician, which gives a sense of how varied the group is. Because the category is a catch-all, the tasks, the education involved, and the pay depend on the specialty and employer, and the data used for this page do not give a single set of tasks or a single education level for the group. The role differs from scientists, who plan investigations and interpret results, and from laboratory workers classified in health care, who process clinical specimens. Within the SOC, the group is simply all technicians in these fields who are not listed under the more specific codes.
Also called: Assistant Oceanographer, Biomedical Instrument Technician, City Planning Aide, Colorist, Data Reduction Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.75 | $23.09 | $29.94 | $38.36 | $49.37 | $31.86 | 73,910 |
| Annual | $39,000 | $48,030 | $62,280 | $79,780 | $102,690 | $66,280 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where life, physical, and social science technicians, all other earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $22.95 | $27.40 | $41.47 | $55.33 | $69.84 | $43.72 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.57 |
| Annual | $47,730 | $56,990 | $86,260 | $115,090 | $145,270 | $90,940 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $25.29 | $30.24 | $38.09 | $43.33 | $49.26 | $38.33 | 150 | 0.22 | 0.45 |
| Annual | $52,610 | $62,900 | $79,230 | $90,120 | $102,460 | $79,720 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $22.90 | $30.11 | $37.67 | $46.89 | $51.67 | $37.94 | 10,090 | 0.55 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $47,640 | $62,620 | $78,350 | $97,540 | $107,470 | $78,910 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $23.28 | $26.00 | $35.35 | $43.94 | $54.27 | $36.74 | 980 | 0.28 | 0.58 |
| Annual | $48,420 | $54,070 | $73,530 | $91,400 | $112,880 | $76,420 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $24.44 | $27.15 | $33.99 | $42.00 | $48.33 | $35.66 | 170 | 0.52 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $50,840 | $56,470 | $70,700 | $87,350 | $100,530 | $74,160 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $22.90 | $30.11 | $37.67 | $46.89 | $51.67 | $37.94 | 10,090 | 0.55 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $47,640 | $62,620 | $78,350 | $97,540 | $107,470 | $78,910 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $14.40 | $17.03 | $23.54 | $31.14 | $40.21 | $26.47 | 9,170 | 0.65 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $29,950 | $35,420 | $48,960 | $64,770 | $83,650 | $55,050 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $21.29 | $25.92 | $30.68 | $38.54 | $43.88 | $32.38 | 7,390 | 0.76 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $44,290 | $53,910 | $63,810 | $80,150 | $91,260 | $67,340 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $21.88 | $28.71 | $32.88 | $46.75 | $62.10 | $37.88 | 3,510 | 1.27 | 2.67 |
| Annual | $45,510 | $59,710 | $68,390 | $97,240 | $129,170 | $78,790 | ||||
| Virginia | Hourly | $20.56 | $24.16 | $32.33 | $40.32 | $50.43 | $33.23 | 2,710 | 0.66 | 1.39 |
| Annual | $42,750 | $50,250 | $67,240 | $83,860 | $104,890 | $69,110 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Lawton, OK | Hourly | $27.04 | $30.41 | $55.33 | $55.33 | $55.33 | $43.67 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $56,240 | $63,260 | $115,090 | $115,090 | $115,090 | $90,840 | ||||
| Oklahoma City, OK | Hourly | $23.09 | $31.07 | $48.17 | $65.85 | $71.84 | $47.85 | 290 | 0.43 | 0.91 |
| Annual | $48,020 | $64,620 | $100,190 | $136,970 | $149,430 | $99,540 | ||||
| Lynchburg, VA | Hourly | $26.86 | $26.86 | $46.04 | $47.04 | $59.84 | $42.01 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $55,860 | $55,860 | $95,770 | $97,830 | $124,470 | $87,380 | ||||
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | Hourly | $21.29 | $35.77 | $43.70 | $57.46 | $57.46 | $43.66 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $44,280 | $74,400 | $90,900 | $119,510 | $119,520 | $90,810 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $23.63 | $28.48 | $41.91 | $53.67 | $82.95 | $46.11 | 1,570 | 0.54 | 1.14 |
| Annual | $49,160 | $59,240 | $87,180 | $111,640 | $172,530 | $95,910 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.34 | $25.92 | $31.12 | $38.99 | $46.95 | $33.00 | 6,470 | 0.68 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $46,470 | $53,910 | $64,730 | $81,100 | $97,650 | $68,630 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $14.56 | $17.03 | $23.41 | $35.27 | $44.04 | $27.68 | 2,520 | 0.77 | 1.61 |
| Annual | $30,270 | $35,410 | $48,680 | $73,370 | $91,600 | $57,570 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.00 | $30.92 | $38.75 | $51.32 | $64.78 | $41.85 | 2,110 | 0.67 | 1.42 |
| Annual | $47,840 | $64,320 | $80,600 | $106,750 | $134,750 | $87,040 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $16.93 | $19.87 | $23.54 | $30.59 | $37.47 | $27.33 | 2,100 | 0.52 | 1.09 |
| Annual | $35,220 | $41,330 | $48,960 | $63,620 | $77,930 | $56,850 | ||||
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Hourly | $24.12 | $26.49 | $36.52 | $41.36 | $51.17 | $36.86 | 1,900 | 1.24 | 2.60 |
| Annual | $50,180 | $55,090 | $75,970 | $86,030 | $106,440 | $76,680 | ||||
Top industries employing life, physical, and social science technicians, all other
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 35.0% of life, physical, and social science technicians, all other nationally (25,880 jobs) at a median $59,700 a year ($28.70 an hour), followed by Scientific Research and Development Services (13.6%) and Employment Services (7.2%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 25,880 | 35.0% | $59,700 | $28.70 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 10,070 | 13.6% | $64,730 | $31.12 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 5,290 | 7.2% | $48,840 | $23.48 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) NAICS 999100 | 5,290 | 7.2% | $73,240 | $35.21 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 3,450 | 4.7% | $52,480 | $25.23 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (73,910). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,030 for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other in May 2021 and $62,280 in May 2025, with employment of 62,230 and 73,910.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,030 | $23.57 | 62,230 |
| May 2022 | $50,290 | $24.18 | 70,770 |
| May 2023 | $58,350 | $28.05 | 72,230 |
| May 2024 | $60,130 | $28.91 | 71,400 |
| May 2025 | $62,280 | $29.94 | 73,910 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma profile | $41.47 | $86,260 | $47,730 | $145,270 | 460 | 0.27 | 0.57 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $38.09 | $79,230 | $52,610 | $102,460 | 150 | 0.22 | 0.45 |
| 3 | California profile | $37.67 | $78,350 | $47,640 | $107,470 | 10,090 | 0.55 | 1.17 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $35.35 | $73,530 | $48,420 | $112,880 | 980 | 0.28 | 0.58 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $33.99 | $70,700 | $50,840 | $100,530 | 170 | 0.52 | 1.10 |
| 6 | Rhode Island profile | $33.48 | $69,630 | $49,660 | $110,030 | 210 | 0.42 | 0.87 |
| 7 | North Dakota profile | $33.34 | $69,350 | $42,750 | $97,560 | 180 | 0.41 | 0.87 |
| 8 | Georgia profile | $33.33 | $69,320 | $43,260 | $144,730 | 2,230 | 0.46 | 0.96 |
| 9 | Maryland profile | $32.88 | $68,390 | $45,510 | $129,170 | 3,510 | 1.27 | 2.67 |
| 10 | Kentucky profile | $32.80 | $68,230 | $42,880 | $98,500 | 320 | 0.16 | 0.33 |
| 11 | Virginia profile | $32.33 | $67,240 | $42,750 | $104,890 | 2,710 | 0.66 | 1.39 |
| 12 | Maine profile | $32.08 | $66,730 | $45,950 | $110,410 | 390 | 0.61 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Connecticut profile | $32.07 | $66,710 | $41,930 | $110,910 | 320 | 0.19 | 0.40 |
| 14 | Kansas profile | $31.38 | $65,270 | $42,550 | $85,820 | 880 | 0.61 | 1.28 |
| 15 | Wyoming profile | $31.01 | $64,510 | $39,050 | $99,540 | 220 | 0.80 | 1.67 |
| 16 | New Hampshire profile | $30.89 | $64,250 | $47,490 | $116,230 | 360 | 0.52 | 1.10 |
| 17 | Massachusetts profile | $30.68 | $63,820 | $46,960 | $108,850 | 1,140 | 0.31 | 0.66 |
| 18 | New York profile | $30.68 | $63,810 | $44,290 | $91,260 | 7,390 | 0.76 | 1.61 |
| 19 | Colorado profile | $30.66 | $63,760 | $45,760 | $116,530 | 1,860 | 0.65 | 1.37 |
| 20 | Vermont profile | $30.51 | $63,460 | $42,060 | $88,560 | 160 | 0.54 | 1.14 |
| 21 | Florida profile | $30.38 | $63,180 | $32,240 | $104,690 | 1,830 | 0.18 | 0.39 |
| 22 | Tennessee profile | $29.83 | $62,050 | $37,220 | $81,050 | 2,150 | 0.66 | 1.38 |
| 23 | Oregon profile | $29.24 | $60,810 | $44,440 | $84,370 | 1,690 | 0.86 | 1.80 |
| 24 | West Virginia profile | $28.73 | $59,750 | $45,380 | $85,390 | 230 | 0.32 | 0.68 |
| 25 | Alabama profile | $28.61 | $59,500 | $40,260 | $80,110 | 350 | 0.17 | 0.35 |
| 26 | Mississippi profile | $28.60 | $59,490 | $39,090 | $84,430 | 330 | 0.29 | 0.60 |
| 27 | Illinois profile | $28.56 | $59,410 | $31,200 | $83,310 | 750 | 0.12 | 0.26 |
| 28 | Arkansas profile | $28.52 | $59,310 | $31,070 | $77,860 | 350 | 0.27 | 0.56 |
| 29 | Utah profile | $28.51 | $59,290 | $31,630 | $79,570 | ** | ** | ** |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $28.42 | $59,100 | $45,060 | $96,250 | 1,040 | 0.24 | 0.50 |
| 31 | South Carolina profile | $28.35 | $58,960 | $38,170 | $101,670 | 1,290 | 0.56 | 1.17 |
| 32 | Arizona profile | $28.00 | $58,240 | $40,820 | $90,390 | 420 | 0.13 | 0.27 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania profile | $27.73 | $57,680 | $41,810 | $92,810 | 2,630 | 0.43 | 0.91 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $27.13 | $56,420 | $42,930 | $81,220 | 180 | 0.21 | 0.45 |
| 35 | New Jersey profile | $26.91 | $55,980 | $38,520 | $82,530 | 2,140 | 0.50 | 1.05 |
| 36 | Nevada profile | $26.00 | $54,070 | $37,360 | $102,500 | 350 | 0.22 | 0.47 |
| 37 | Louisiana profile | $25.65 | $53,360 | $38,300 | $85,350 | 1,610 | 0.83 | 1.75 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $25.13 | $52,260 | $44,120 | $72,780 | 130 | 0.26 | 0.55 |
| 39 | South Dakota profile | $24.82 | $51,630 | $28,300 | $93,550 | 60 | 0.13 | 0.28 |
| 40 | Hawaii profile | $24.46 | $50,880 | $32,850 | $81,120 | 1,050 | 1.68 | 3.53 |
| 41 | Idaho profile | $24.33 | $50,600 | $39,950 | $139,250 | 550 | 0.65 | 1.36 |
| 42 | Iowa profile | $24.27 | $50,480 | $38,350 | $77,930 | 420 | 0.27 | 0.57 |
| 43 | Missouri profile | $24.24 | $50,410 | $37,440 | $101,070 | 2,100 | 0.72 | 1.51 |
| 44 | Minnesota profile | $23.75 | $49,410 | $40,060 | $80,950 | 1,350 | 0.46 | 0.97 |
| 45 | Ohio profile | $23.66 | $49,210 | $36,890 | $81,970 | 1,020 | 0.18 | 0.39 |
| 46 | North Carolina profile | $23.65 | $49,200 | $47,720 | $99,940 | 2,310 | 0.47 | 0.98 |
| 47 | Texas profile | $23.54 | $48,960 | $29,950 | $83,650 | 9,170 | 0.65 | 1.37 |
| 48 | Indiana profile | $23.39 | $48,650 | $44,470 | $83,470 | 750 | 0.24 | 0.50 |
| 49 | Nebraska profile | $23.39 | $48,640 | $41,970 | $80,750 | 300 | 0.29 | 0.61 |
| 50 | Wisconsin profile | $22.70 | $47,210 | $35,360 | $60,550 | 1,070 | 0.36 | 0.76 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.19 | 0.39 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (19-4090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4099 Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4099, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4099.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.