<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-02-15</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001003113</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MOLECULAR DEVICES CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MDCC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001260556</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KEEGAN JOSEPH D</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MOLECULAR DEVICES CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1311 ORLEANS DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SUNNYVALE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94089</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO/President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
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                <value>2006-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
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            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
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                    <value>182</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9700</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            <ownershipNature>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
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                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
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                    <value>5751.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Keegan Trust UAD 4/27/90</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
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            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9500</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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            </transactionAmounts>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4651.00</value>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>615</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9400</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>4036.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                <natureOfOwnership>
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        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
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                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1800</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9300</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
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        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
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            <transactionDate>
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            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9200</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1736.00</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Keegan Trust UAD 4/27/90</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.9100</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Keegan Trust UAD 4/27/90</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-02-15</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
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            <transactionAmounts>
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                    <value>587</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>30.8100</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
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                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
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            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
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                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Keegan, Joseph D.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-02-17</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
