SOC 19-4021 · Columbia, MO metro

Biological Technicians Salary in Columbia, MO

The average salary for biological technicians in Columbia, Missouri is $53,390 a year ($25.67 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $51,630: half of the 50 people in this job in the Columbia, MO metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($61,380).

$53,390average per year

$25.67 / hourMedian $51,630Take-home ≈ $43,507

  • $37K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $52KMedian
  • $65K75th
  • $75K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

50people in this job
-13%vs U.S. average
#3 of 3Missouri metros
89cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Biological Technicians pay range in Columbia

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,820 a year or less, while the top 10% make $75,360 or more. The middle half of biological technicians in Columbia earn between $41,660 and $64,940.

  • $37K10th
  • $42K25th
  • $52KMedian
  • $65K75th
  • $75K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$53,390$4,449$25.67
Median$51,630$4,302$24.82
Entry level (25th percentile)$41,660$3,472$20.03
Experienced (75th percentile)$64,940$5,412$31.22

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Biological Technicians pay in Columbia vs. Missouri and the U.S.

Biological technicians in Columbia earn 5% less than the Missouri average ($56,470) and 13% less than the U.S. average ($61,380). At the median the gap is -10% against the U.S. median of $57,510.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Columbia$53,390$51,630$36,820$75,36050
Missouri$56,470$50,640$38,800$74,600620
United States$61,380$57,510$40,330$84,94069,620

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Biological Technicians salary after taxes in Columbia

On the average salary of $53,390, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $43,507 a year, or $3,626 a month and $1,673 every two weeks. Taxes take 19% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Missouri paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Columbia a good place for biological technicians? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Columbia area are 11% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 89.4), so the average $53,390 buys what about $59,695 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($47,260). A typical home costs $323,951, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $53,390 is worth in another city

Biological Technicians salary in other Missouri cities

Columbia ranks 3rd of 3 Missouri metro areas for this job; Kansas City pays the most ($61,500).

All Biological Technicians salaries in Missouri

Highest-paying cities for biological technicians

San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($99,540).

Biological Technicians salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Biological Technicians in Columbia, MO.

Biological Technicians salary in Columbia: questions

How much do biological technicians make an hour in Columbia?

$25.67 an hour on average, and $24.82 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level biological technicians salary in Columbia?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,820 a year and the 25th percentile is $41,660, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the biological technicians take-home pay in Columbia?

About $43,507 a year ($3,626 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $53,390. The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.

Do biological technicians earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?

The average here is 13% less than the U.S. average for this job ($61,380).

Sources and how to read this page

  • Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-4021; area Columbia, MO (17860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.7%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). The 1% earnings tax applies to people who live or work in Kansas City or St. Louis itself, not in the suburbs.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 1.02, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.