Career comparison
Biological Technician vs. Biology Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Biology professors earn more at the median ($84,620 vs. $57,510), while biological technicians usually get to work faster (4 years of training). Biological technicians run experiments and lab work that power biology and biotech research. Biology professors teach life sciences and lead biology research at the college level.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biological Technician | Biology Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $57,510 ($27.65/hr) | $84,620 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $40,330 – $84,940 | $52,150 – $169,900 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.4% (much faster than average) | +7.3% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 9,400 | 4,700 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 4 years | 6–9 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | ASCP Technologist in Molecular Biology | Ph.D. in biology |
| Work setting | Biological technicians work in labs, sometimes with biohazards and research animals.. | Biology faculty work in classrooms, labs, field sites and offices.. |
What each job does
Biological Technician
- Prepare samples and reagents
- Run experiments and assays
- Culture cells and microorganisms
- Operate lab instruments
- Record and analyze data
Biology Professor
- Teach biology courses
- Run teaching labs
- Lead a research lab
- Mentor student researchers
- Write grant proposals
How they’re similar
Both careers involve indoor work, hands-on work, problem-solving, and in-demand. They sit in different fields, science, engineering & lab and education & childcare, but share transferable skills such as attention to detail and mentoring.
Which should you choose?
Choose biological technician if…
- I love biology
- I like hands-on experiments
- I’m patient and precise
Choose biology professor if…
- I love biology
- I want to run a lab
- I enjoy teaching
Still torn? Take the Biological Technician fit quiz and the Biology Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biological technician or biology professor?
Biology Professors earn more at the median: $84,620 versus $57,510 for biological technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Biological Technicians typically train faster (4 years) than biology professors (6–9 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biological technicians to grow +7.4% from 2025–35, compared with +7.3% for biology professors.