How Much Does an MLT Make in Delaware in 2026?

A typical MLT in Delaware earns about $33.00 per hour ($68,630 per year), per the latest government wage data (May 2025). When calculated from that annual figure, full-time earnings break down to roughly $5,719 per month. On a weekly basis, that same annual rate translates to about $1,320. These baseline earnings reflect standard schedules across clinical laboratories throughout the state.

Statewide compensation runs 9% above the national figure of $62,930 per year, where typical hourly pay sits at $30.26. That margin places Delaware at 14th among all 51 states and territories for laboratory technician pay. The state supports an employment base of 690 clinical laboratory technicians who deliver diagnostic testing in regional healthcare facilities. This modest workforce size means that compensation remains closely aligned with local hospital network salary structures.

Entry-level positions in Delaware typically offer around $22.43 per hour, which equals approximately $46,650 per year. Early-career technicians who gain initial hospital competencies often see their pay rise toward $24.32 per hour or $50,590 annually. Within a few years of full-time laboratory practice, earnings normally move toward the statewide typical rate of $33.00 per hour. Steady technical growth helps newer technicians advance beyond starting wage tiers.

Experienced technicians in senior roles often earn upwards of $40.17 per hour or $83,550 annually. The top 10% of earners make over $47.32 per hour, corresponding to an annual income exceeding $98,420. Across the profession, this creates an entry-to-top spread of $51,770 in annual compensation. Differences in work setting, years of bench experience, and city location account for much of this gap between career phases.

Over the recorded period from 2017 to 2025, typical annual compensation for Delaware laboratory technicians grew from $61,810 to $68,630. That change delivered a cumulative dollar gain of $6,820 for practitioners in the state. Pay rose gradually across these years alongside a broader national decade rise of 22%. Local salary benchmarks advanced in several distinct steps rather than through sudden annual jumps.

The national wage expansion of 22% reflects broader healthcare demand across the country over the same general period. Delaware technicians maintained a steady pace of earnings, keeping baseline compensation above countrywide benchmarks. For someone entering the laboratory field today, pay has moved up over the historical record. Those past wage patterns describe historical progress, but they carry no guarantee of future salary increases.

Inside Delaware, compensation runs highest in the Wilmington metropolitan area, where technicians earn a typical salary of $59,790 per year ($28.75 hourly). City figures cover each city's full metro area rather than municipal limits alone. Because of regional laboratory staffing structures, Wilmington sits 13% below the broader statewide figure of $68,630. Dover follows closely with typical annual pay of $58,310, or $28.03 hourly.

Dover represents the lowest-paying metropolitan area at $58,310 per year, producing a narrow city spread of $1,480. Because Delaware reports data for only two metropolitan areas, earnings remain fairly uniform across the state. Wilmington maintains the largest laboratory technician workforce by far, employing 6,150 workers across its interstate metropolitan zone. Slight wage differences between these areas generally track variations in local living costs.

Delaware compares favorably with nearby mid-Atlantic states for laboratory compensation. New Jersey offers nearly identical earnings at $68,450 per year, showing virtually a 0% difference from Delaware. In contrast, Pennsylvania sits significantly lower at $51,680, trailing Delaware typical pay by 25%, while Maryland reports $63,690, which is 7% lower. Professional credentials earned in one state can often be transferred or endorsed into a nearby jurisdiction.

Delaware medical laboratory technicians currently earn a typical salary of $68,630 per year, or $33.00 per hour. Statewide pay has advanced by $6,820 over the recorded period, reflecting consistent upward progress in clinical diagnostic earnings. Technicians evaluating local career options should review the state licensing or registry page for specific practice requirements. Additionally, consulting individual city pages provides detailed local pay figures across regional healthcare employers.