Bioinformatics Technicians
SOC code 15-2099 · O*NET-SOC 15-2099.01 · Considerable preparation needed · Computer and IT
Bioinformatics Technicians pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$81,490
a year
Hourly
$39.18
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$91,550
$44.02 per hour
Middle 50%
$60,750 – $107,180
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$47,980 – $154,580
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
3,720
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $47,980
- $23.07/hr
- 25th percentile
- $60,750
- $29.21/hr
- Median percentile
- $81,490
- $39.18/hr
- 75th percentile
- $107,180
- $51.53/hr
- 90th percentile
- $154,580
- $74.32/hr
What does a bioinformatics technician do?
Apply principles and methods of bioinformatics to assist scientists in areas such as pharmaceuticals, medical technology, biotechnology, computational biology, proteomics, computer information science, biology and medical informatics. Apply bioinformatics tools to visualize, analyze, manipulate or interpret molecular data. May build and maintain databases for processing and analyzing genomic or other biological information.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Write computer programs or scripts to be used in querying databases.
- Develop or maintain applications that process biologically based data into searchable databases for purposes of analysis, calculation, or presentation.
- Conduct quality analyses of data inputs and resulting analyses or predictions.
- Confer with researchers, clinicians, or information technology staff to determine data needs and programming requirements and to provide assistance with database-related research activities.
- Analyze or manipulate bioinformatics data using software packages, statistical applications, or data mining techniques.
- Enter or retrieve information from structural databases, protein sequence motif databases, mutation databases, genomic databases or gene expression databases.
- Develop or apply data mining and machine learning algorithms.
- Extend existing software programs, web-based interactive tools, or database queries as sequence management and analysis needs evolve.
How to become a bioinformatics technician
Most people in this role hold bachelor's degree — 51% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Bachelor's Degree51%
- Master's Degree41%
- Doctoral Degree4%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate2%
Common questions
How much does a bioinformatics technician earn?
The national median is $81,490 a year. The full range runs from $47,980 at the 10th percentile to $154,580 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a bioinformatics technician without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Active Listening3.5/5
- Writing3.5/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Active Learning3.5/5
- Speaking3.4/5
- Mathematics3.4/5
- Monitoring3.3/5
Knowledge areas
- Computers and Electronics4.8/5
- Mathematics4.5/5
- English Language4.0/5
- Biology3.8/5
- Design2.9/5
- Engineering and Technology2.9/5
- Chemistry2.8/5
- Education and Training2.7/5
Transferable strengths: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.