Technician Programs

Medical Laboratory Technicians

With the volume of laboratory tests increasing due to population growth and advances in testing, so too are the number of jobs for qualified medical lab technicians.

Medical Laboratory Technician Salary Range
In 2002, the lowest 10 percent of medical laboratory technicians earned less than $19,070, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The highest 10 percent earned more than $43,960. The average medical laboratory technician salary in 2002, according to the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP), was $31,928, with salaries ranging from $27,040 to $35,776. The 2002 BLS median was $29,040.

Work setting also affects lab tech salaries. Techs in hospitals earned $30,500 on average in 2002, while those in physician offices and ambulatory services earned $27,820 and $26,710, respectively.

Starting Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries
In 2004, average starting lab tech salaries were between $26,000 and $30,000, approximately.

Certification and Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries
Many states have credentialing requirements for medical lab techs. As a result, salary levels are affected most by education, experience, geographic region, and work setting. An associate degree from a program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) and certification by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists is a prerequisite for most medical lab technician jobs.

Career Description
Medical laboratory technicians, also known as clinical laboratory technicians, work in areas such as blood banking, chemistry, hematology, immunology, immunohematology and microbiology. Technicians perform general tests using microscopes, chemicals, and other laboratory equipment, including automated analyzers, typically under the supervision of medical technologists or lab managers.

Technicians can work in more than one area of a clinical laboratory or may choose to specialize. A histotechnician, for example, cuts and stains tissue specimens for microscopic examination by pathologists. Other areas of focus include phlebotomy, pharmacology, radiology, veterinary medicine, and ultrasound.

Educational Requirements
A solid foundation in high school sciences - biology, chemistry, math and computer science - is the minimum requirement for starting a career as a medical laboratory technician.

Additionally, most positions require an associate degree from a NAACLS-accredited program. Candidates also can earn certificates from accredited programs at hospitals and technical schools or complete a U.S. military laboratory procedures program.

Use our technician salary calculator to review medical laboratory technician salaries in your region.