CA · Gardena · Updated October 15, 2026

Medical Laboratory Scientist jobs in Gardena, CA

Pay for medical laboratory scientists in the Gardena area centers on $30.02 per hour, or about $62,430 a year. The lower quarter earns under $23.42 and the upper quarter over $38.46. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Gardena. That ranks 112th of 355 U.S. metro areas for medical laboratory scientist pay, and 241st of 317 once local prices are factored in. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Gardena.

Open Medical Laboratory Scientist roles near Gardena

Roles in other cities of the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area.

More open Medical Laboratory Scientist roles in Gardena

1 more open role from employers in Gardena. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

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Named employers near Gardena, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring medical laboratory scientists near Gardena

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Central Maine Healthcare Corporation6$46.56
Quest Diagnostics4$48.22
Emanate Health1$63.17
CommonSpirit Health1$64.73

Medical Laboratory Scientist pay in Gardena, CA

The metro median is 13% below the California statewide median of $34.58 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.75 per hour. BLS counts about 10,270 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians employed in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area, 1.7 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.74).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$21.85$45,45027% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$23.42$48,71021% below U.S. median
Median$30.02$62,4301% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$38.46$80,00029% above U.S. median
Top 10%$54.53$113,42083% above U.S. median

How Gardena ranks

  • 112th of 355 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 241st of 317 after adjusting for local prices
  • 14th of 23 California metro areas

BLS does not publish a separate figure for medical laboratory scientist. These numbers are for the broader category it belongs to, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (SOC 29-2010), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in Gardena

  • Overall prices in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim run 14% above the U.S. average (index 113.6, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 70% above the U.S. average (index 170.4).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $30.02 median hour buys what $26.43 buys at the national price level, 11% below the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your Gardena paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$1,081
  • Per year: $54,036
  • Per month: $4,503

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Gardena

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$191
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,939
13-week assignment$25,207

Travel medical laboratory scientist assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in Gardena

CMS lists 1 hospital in Gardena, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical laboratory scientists.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Memorial Hospital Of Gardena
Gardena, CA
Acute careFor-profit1 of 5Yes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Medical Laboratory Scientist pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Hawthorne, CA3 mi$30.02/hr83,633
Compton, CA5 mi$30.02/hr91,129

Medical Laboratory Scientist jobs in California · Medical Laboratory Scientist jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or a related science. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in Gardena

Gardena city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do medical laboratory scientists make in Gardena, CA?

Medical Laboratory Scientists in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area have a median pay of $30.02 per hour, about $62,430 a year. The middle half earn between $23.42 and $38.46 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is Gardena a good place for medical laboratory scientists once cost of living is counted?

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim ranks 241st of 317 metro areas for medical laboratory scientist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 112th of 355 before adjusting. Overall prices run 14% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring medical laboratory scientists in Gardena?

We list 12 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Gardena.

Do I need a California license to work in Gardena as a medical laboratory scientist?

Bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science or a related science. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Gardena?

The federal per diem benchmark in Gardena is $191 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,939 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place medical laboratory scientists in Gardena?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Gardena and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Gardena.

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What do employers near Gardena pay medical laboratory scientists? Get the report.

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    What they are offering now

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Pay report · Lab Scientist near Gardena, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Lab Scientist pay reportGardena, CA · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 3 postings$82.53/ hr$66–$99
  • Ucsf Medical CenterSan Francisco, CA · 6 wage offers$71.28/ hr$60–$79
  • UCSF Medical CenterSan Francisco, CA · 6 wage offers$67.56/ hr$57–$74
  • Sharp HealthCareCoronado, CA · 3 postings$64.63/ hr$56–$73

Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.

2What they are offering now

Low$41Median$55.50High$73

49 Lab Scientist postings with published pay in California, 42 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 49 Lab Scientist roles

  1. Clinical Lab Scientist II (CLS) - Lab - MicrobiologyPermanent
    $50.43–$69.35/ hour
    Rady Children's Hospital · San Diego, CA · posted today
  2. Clinical Laboratory ScientistPer diem
    $75.34–$75.34/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Sacramento, CA · posted yesterday

+ 47 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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