Laboratory technicians roles in the UK earn a median of £28,000 per year, equivalent to £14.63 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 0.3% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £25,000 in West Midlands to £32,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £28,210/yr (1% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£28,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£14.63
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+0.3%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£22,500 – £36,000
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Laboratory technicians across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £32,500 |
| East | £30,000 |
| South East | £29,000 |
| North West | £28,500 |
| North East | £27,000 |
| South West | £27,000 |
| Scotland | £27,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £27,000 |
| Wales | £26,000 |
| East Midlands | £25,500 |
| West Midlands | £25,000 |
| UK | £28,000 |
Annual pay grew by +0.3% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Laboratory technicians.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Laboratory technicians in the UK is £28,000 per year (about £14.63 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Laboratory technicians earn between £22,500 and £36,000 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Laboratory technicians pay rose by 0.3% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Laboratory technicians is in London, at £32,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Laboratory technicians roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Laboratory technicians carry out routine laboratory tests and checks and perform a variety of technical support functions requiring the application of established or prescribed procedures and techniques to assist scientists with their research, development, analysis and testing, and to verify the physical, chemical and other characteristics of materials and products.
Entry varies from employer to employer. Entrants usually possess a degree, although entry is also possible with A-levels, GCSEs/S grades, an appropriate BTEC/SQA award or HNC/HND. Professional qualifications, NVQs/SVQs at various levels, and apprenticeships are available in some areas of work. Good eyesight, and in some cases, normal colour vision are also required.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.