Bioinformatics Technicians
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.
Also called: Biocurator, Bioinformatics Analyst, Bioinformatics Data Analyst, Bioinformatics Research Technician, Bioinformatics Specialist, Biometrics Technician (Biometrics Tech)
Median pay
$81,490
Pay for the broader BLS group “Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$47,980 – $154,580
People employed
3,720
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ICR
Investigative · Conventional · Realistic
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you comfortable sitting at a desk most of the day?
- 2.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 3.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 4.Are you happy working mostly on your own, with little contact with others?
- 5.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 6.Do you prefer working indoors?
Bioinformatics Technicians pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (13 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Mathematical Science Occupations, All Other”.
What bioinformatics technicians do
- 01Write computer programs or scripts to be used in querying databases.
- 02Develop or maintain applications that process biologically based data into searchable databases for purposes of analysis, calculation, or presentation.
- 03Conduct quality analyses of data inputs and resulting analyses or predictions.
- 04Confer with researchers, clinicians, or information technology staff to determine data needs and programming requirements and to provide assistance with database-related research activities.
- 05Analyze or manipulate bioinformatics data using software packages, statistical applications, or data mining techniques.
- 06Enter or retrieve information from structural databases, protein sequence motif databases, mutation databases, genomic databases or gene expression databases.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Speaking
Knowledge
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Biology
- Design
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Innovation
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 4 years, up to and including 6 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from bioinformatics technicians
- Database Architects87% · —
- Statistical Assistants85% · —
- Social Science Research Assistants84% · —
- Bioinformatics Scientists84% · group pay
- Database Administrators81% · —
Change into bioinformatics technicians
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Bioinformatics Scientists92% · $98,920
- Social Science Research Assistants84% · $61,990
- Statistical Assistants82% · $50,330
- Data Warehousing Specialists78% · $139,500
- Geneticists78% · $98,920
Majors that lead here
- Computational Biology
- Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology, Other
- Mathematics, General
- Applied Mathematics, General
- Computational Mathematics
- Computational and Applied Mathematics
- Financial Mathematics
- Mathematical Biology
- Applied Mathematics, Other
- Mathematics and Statistics, Other
- Mathematics and Computer Science
- Computational Science
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.