Medical Laboratories — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the medical laboratories industry earns $79,042 per year ($38.00/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$79,042
Avg Annual Pay
231,384
Total Employees
22,483
Total Establishments
10
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Medical Laboratories Workers Earn?

At $79,042/year (equivalent to $38.00/hour for a full-time worker), medical laboratories wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.

Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.

The typical medical laboratories business employs 10 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

10.2%

For the average medical laboratories business generating $7.7M/year with 10 employees at $79,042 each, total payroll represents roughly 10.2% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a medical laboratoriesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $102,755/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 10 employees = ~$790,420/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $38.00/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $7.7M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.

See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.

View full Medical Laboratories revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do medical laboratories employees make?
The average medical laboratories employee earns $79,042 per year, which is equivalent to $38.00/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
How many people work in the medical laboratories industry?
The medical laboratories industry employs 231,384 workers across 22,483 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 10 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).