Side-by-side distribution
Lab Technician
$61,360
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 24.2%
- Live roles
- 120
Nurse
$83,212
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 53%
- Live roles
- 5,279
Highest-paying jobs
Prototyping Lab Technician, Robotics
3D Printing Lab Technician, Robotics
Data Center & Lab Technician - AI Accelerator Infrastructure - Contract
Laboratory Operations & Maintenance Technician
Electronics Lab Technician
Lab Technician
Laboratory Technician - contract to hire
Hardware Lab Technician
Senior Lab Technician
Lab Technician (San Francisco)
Highest-paying jobs
MDS & Clinical Reimbursement, Nurse Manager
Registered Nurse
Psych Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP, Psych APRN)
Synchronous Telehealth Nurse Practitioner (1099)
Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner - Cosmetic Focus (Experience Required)
Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner (Dermatology Experience Required)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) - Remote
Wellness/Longevity Nurse Practitioner / Physician Assistant (Full-time)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
OpenAI
|
$266,250 | 2 |
|
Periodic Labs
|
$117,500 | 2 |
|
Plasmidsaurus
|
$63,750 | 2 |
SpaceX
|
$60,320 | 2 |
GenScript/ProBio
|
$56,000 | 2 |
Dandy
|
$50,569 | 2 |
|
d-Matrix
|
$195,000 | 1 |
|
CHAOS Industries
|
$117,520 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
BAYADA Home Health Care
|
$69,680 | 493 |
| PH Pulse Healthcare | $69,460 | 320 |
MedElite Group, LLC.
|
$75,000 | 298 |
Greenlife Healthcare Staffing
|
$94,830 | 160 |
One Medical
|
$160,400 | 124 |
|
Lifestance
|
$225,000 | 94 |
Ennoble Care
|
$125,000 | 66 |
| AH Adaptive Home Health | $95,000 | 63 |
Lab Technician salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $168,750 | 4 |
Nurse salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $163,072 | 50 |
| Seattle | $160,400 | 12 |
| Boston | $159,600 | 15 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 17 |
| New York | $140,000 | 151 |
| Chicago | $137,300 | 12 |
| Austin | $126,664 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $125,000 | 15 |
| Toronto | $76,960 | 3 |
| London | $69,627 | 78 |
Lab Technician vs Nurse: which pays more?
The median for Lab Technician is $61,360 per year (typically $58,240–$95,000), versus $83,212 for Nurse ($68,057–$126,745). That puts Nurse about 36% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Lab Technician and Nurse are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.