Career comparison
Biological Technician vs. Chemical Technician
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Chemical technicians earn more at the median ($60,390 vs. $57,510), while chemical technicians usually get to work faster (2 years of training). Biological technicians run experiments and lab work that power biology and biotech research. Chemical technicians run chemical tests and experiments that support research and production.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biological Technician | Chemical Technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $57,510 ($27.65/hr) | $60,390 ($29.03/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $40,330 – $84,940 | $41,740 – $92,040 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.4% (much faster than average) | +4.9% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 9,400 | 7,600 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 4 years | 2 years |
| Key credential | ASCP Technologist in Molecular Biology | ACS-approved chemical technology degree |
| Work setting | Biological technicians work in labs, sometimes with biohazards and research animals.. | Chemical technicians work in labs and production plants, wearing protective equipment around chemicals.. |
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
Chemical Technician
- Prepare samples and solutions
- Run chemical tests
- Operate lab instruments
- Monitor production quality
- Record and analyze data
How they’re similar
Both careers involve indoor work, hands-on work, working with information, and teamwork. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose biological technician if…
- I love biology
- I like hands-on experiments
- I’m patient and precise
Choose chemical technician if…
- I enjoy chemistry
- I’m careful and precise
- I like lab instruments
Still torn? Take the Biological Technician fit quiz and the Chemical Technician fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biological technician or chemical technician?
Chemical Technicians earn more at the median: $60,390 versus $57,510 for biological technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Chemical Technicians typically train faster (2 years) than biological technicians (4 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biological technicians to grow +7.4% from 2025–35, compared with +4.9% for chemical technicians.