Biological Technician salary in San Diego, CA
Based on 40 certified H-1B filings in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes La Jolla, Carlsbad, San Marcos.
Also listed as: Research Associate (Biology)
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $52,700 |
| 25th | $57,875 |
| 50th (median) | $73,570 |
| 75th | $81,361 |
| 90th | $107,823 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $54,362 | $42,578 | $60,861 | 25 |
| FY2021 | $53,508 | $41,330 | $58,240 | 22 |
| FY2022 | $63,537 | $61,000 | $68,794 | 29 |
| FY2023 | $65,000 | $57,488 | $78,648 | 23 |
| FY2024 | $66,520 | $59,280 | $75,405 | 38 |
| FY2025 | $72,627 | $54,080 | $80,965 | 21 |
| FY2026 | $73,840 | $68,967 | $78,775 | 19 |
Cost of living
San Diego's median Biological Technician salary of $73,570 is worth about $65,800 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; San Diego = 111.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Biological Technicians in the San Diego, CA area earned a median of $67,060 in May 2025 (1,770 employed). The H-1B median here is $73,570, 10% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| University Of California, San Diego | $80,965 | 15 |
| HD Biosciences | too few | 3 |
| Standard BioTools | too few | 3 |
| Enqubio | too few | 2 |
| GenMark Diagnostics | too few | 2 |
| Plasmidsaurus | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | too few | 2 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 5 |
| Senior · Level III | – | 0 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 3 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.