PermanentPosted today
Clinical Lab Scientist II (CLS) - Lab - Microbiology
Rady Children's Hospital · San Diego, CA
$50.43–$69.35/ hour
New this week
Medical Laboratory Scientist jobs in San Diego, CA
Pay for medical laboratory scientists in the San Diego area centers on $33.77 per hour, or about $70,240 a year. The lower quarter earns under $24.55 and the upper quarter over $41.72. The CMS hospital directory lists 9 hospitals in San Diego. That ranks 46th of 355 U.S. metro areas for medical laboratory scientist pay, and 144th of 317 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near San Diego.
- $33.77median pay per hour, San Diego
- $25–$42typical range per hour
- 3,020employed in the metro area
- 6open roles with published pay
Open Medical Laboratory Scientist roles in San Diego
PermanentPosted yesterday
Clinical Laboratory Scientist
Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · San Diego, CA
$103k–$154k/ year
New this week
For youUpdated weekly
60+ more Medical Laboratory Scientist roles for you in San Diego, CA
Most are never shown on this page. Tell us your role and get the full list, with the pay on every one, in your inbox within 24 hours.
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PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Clinical Laboratory Scientist - Consumer Genetics
Labcorp · San Diego, CA
$45.00–$58.00/ hour
New this week
Per diemPosted 3 days ago
Clinical Laboratory Scientist - Sharp Memorial - Night Shift - Per Diem
Sharp HealthCare · San Diego, CA
$56.44–$72.83/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Clinical Lab Scientist - Microbiology
Labcorp · San Diego, CA
$50.00–$58.00/ hour
PermanentPosted 30+ days ago
Medical Lab Technician (MLT) Profile Chemistry
Labcorp · San Diego, CA
$26.00–$31.00/ hour
More open Medical Laboratory Scientist roles in San Diego
1 more open role from employers in San Diego. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.
PermanentPosted yesterday
Part Time Clinical Lab Scientist - Night Shift
Kaiser Permanente · San Diego, CA
Pay range with your report
New this week
Get the San Diego Medical Laboratory Scientist pay report
Named employers near San Diego, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportWho is hiring medical laboratory scientists near San Diego
| Employer | Roles | Median pay / hour |
|---|---|---|
| Labcorp | 3 | $51.50 |
| Rady Children's Hospital | 1 | $59.89 |
| Military Treatment Facilities under DHA | 1 | $61.80 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 1 | $64.63 |
Medical Laboratory Scientist pay in San Diego, CA
The metro median is 2% below the California statewide median of $34.58 per hour. Nationally the median is $29.75 per hour. BLS counts about 3,020 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 2.0 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.88).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $22.43 | $46,650 | 25% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $24.55 | $51,060 | 17% below U.S. median |
| Median | $33.77 | $70,240 | 14% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $41.72 | $86,780 | 40% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $59.67 | $124,110 | 101% above U.S. median |
How San Diego ranks
- 46th of 355 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 144th of 317 after adjusting for local prices
- 12th 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 San Diego
- Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $33.77 median hour buys what $30.18 buys at the national price level, 1% above 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 San Diego paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,216
- Per year: $60,786
- Per month: $5,066
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in San Diego
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $205 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $2,037 |
| 13-week assignment | $26,481 |
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 San Diego
CMS lists 9 hospitals in San Diego, 5 of the 5 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of medical laboratory scientists.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Va San Diego Healthcare System San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Veterans Administration | Government and federal | 5 of 5 | Yes |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Scripps Mercy Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Sharp Memorial Hospital San Diego, CA | Acute care | Nonprofit | 4 of 5 | Yes |
| Nmc San Diego San Diego, CA | Acute Care - Department of Defense | Government and federal | Not rated | Yes |
| Rady Children's Hospital - San Diego San Diego, CA | Children's | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
| Aurora San Diego San Diego, CA | Psychiatric | For-profit | Not rated | No |
| Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital San Diego, CA | Psychiatric | Nonprofit | Not rated | No |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Medical Laboratory Scientist pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Mesa, CA | 7 mi | $33.77/hr | 60,767 |
| Santee, CA | 9 mi | $33.77/hr | 59,104 |
| Temecula, CA | 47 mi | $29.30/hr | 112,431 |
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.
Other healthcare roles in San Diego
San Diego city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do medical laboratory scientists make in San Diego, CA?
Medical Laboratory Scientists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $33.77 per hour, about $70,240 a year. The middle half earn between $24.55 and $41.72 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is San Diego a good place for medical laboratory scientists once cost of living is counted?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 144th of 317 metro areas for medical laboratory scientist pay after adjusting for local prices, and 46th of 355 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring medical laboratory scientists in San Diego?
We list 6 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in San Diego. Your free report adds named employers and pay near San Diego.
Do I need a California license to work in San Diego 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 San Diego?
The federal per diem benchmark in San Diego is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 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 San Diego?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in San Diego and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near San Diego.
Free for every candidate
What do employers near San Diego pay medical laboratory scientists? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
Get your free pay report
230+ Medical Laboratory Scientist roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Lab Scientist pay reportSan Diego, CA · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings
1Pay for your role at other employers
- LabcorpSan Diego, CA · 5 postings$53.00/ hr$26–$66
- Laboratory Corporation of AmericaSan Diego, CA · 2 wage offers$41.45/ hr$36–$52
- MarinHealthGreenbrae, CA · 3 postings$82.53/ hr$66–$99
- Ucsf Medical CenterSan Francisco, CA · 6 wage offers$71.28/ hr$60–$79
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
- Clinical Lab Scientist II (CLS) - Lab - MicrobiologyPermanent$50.43–$69.35/ hour
- Clinical Laboratory ScientistPer diem$75.34–$75.34/ hour
+ 47 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.