Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Associate's degree
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, support scientific and technical work across a variety of specialties. Nationally, there are about 83,000 people in these roles, with a national median salary of $60,130. The field shows projected employment growth of 3.5%, along with an estimated 11,000 annual openings, suggesting ongoing movement in and out of these jobs through new positions and replacement needs. This occupation blends scientific knowledge with practical, hands-on tasks, supported by skills in science, computers and information technology, mathematics, and critical and analytical thinking. Strong detail orientation, writing and reading, and speaking and listening skills also play an important role, along with mechanical and fine motor abilities and project management. For people who enjoy applied science and technical problem-solving, this occupation offers a structured path with defined education expectations and clear data on pay, job counts, and hiring needs across the United States.
The national median annual salary for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, is $60,130, and pay can vary significantly by location. Among the top states by opportunity score, California stands out with a median salary of $78,350, and Washington also shows a relatively high median salary at $73,530. Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado are closer to each other, with median salaries ranging from $63,760 to $63,820. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, has a median salary of $83,160, while Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, follows closely at $80,600. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA, also shows a relatively high median salary of $77,670. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, metros offer mid-$60,000s median pay, suggesting that earnings can be competitive in multiple large metropolitan areas.
National employment for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, is 83,000, with a projected employment growth rate of 3.5%. This projected growth indicates that the total number of jobs in this occupation is expected to increase. In addition, there are an estimated 11,000 annual openings, which reflect both new positions and replacement of workers who leave the occupation. The combination of existing employment, projected expansion, and annual openings points to continuing demand for these technicians across the country. The 3.5% growth figure also appears consistently across the top states and metro areas by opportunity score, suggesting a similar growth outlook in those leading regions. For individuals considering this field, the data indicate that there are established job numbers today, expectations for moderate expansion, and recurring opportunities for entry or advancement over time.
Location can make a meaningful difference for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other. Among states, California combines a relatively high median salary of $78,350 with the largest listed employment at 10,090 and an opportunity score of 67.38. Washington also offers a relatively high median salary of $73,530, though with smaller listed employment of 980 and a somewhat lower opportunity score. Massachusetts, New York, and Colorado show similar median salaries in the low- to mid-$60,000s, with opportunity scores ranging from 56.97 to 65.87 and employment levels from under 2,000 to over 7,000. At the metro level, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, has both the highest median salary at $83,160 and the highest opportunity score at 77.42, even with relatively small listed employment of 350. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, metro has a high opportunity score of 77.27 alongside 6,470 jobs. Other metros such as San Francisco, Washington DC area, and Boston offer combinations of solid salaries, opportunity scores, and employment counts.
The typical education requirement for life, physical, and social science technicians, all other, is an associate's degree. This creates a structured entry pathway that does not necessarily require a four-year degree, while still expecting focused postsecondary preparation. The skill profile highlights the mix of knowledge and abilities that support success in these roles. Core strengths include science, mathematics, and computers and information technology, combined with critical and analytical thinking. Communication-related skills such as writing and reading, as well as speaking and listening, are also important. The occupation values being detail oriented, which aligns with technical and scientific work. Mechanical and fine motor skills suggest hands-on components, while project management skills indicate involvement in organizing tasks or contributing to structured projects. Together, the associate’s degree expectation and this broad skill set point toward a technically oriented career that balances analysis, communication, and practical work.
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