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Job outlook for clinical technicians in the United States
Clinical technician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected clinical technician job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 12,500 new jobs for clinical technicians are projected over the next decade.
Clinical technician salaries have increased 7% for clinical technicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 88,188 clinical technicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 161,812 active clinical technician job openings in the US.
The average clinical technician salary is $35,760.
Are clinical technician jobs in demand?
Clinical technician job and salary trends over time
Clinical technician jobs over time
Clinical technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 88,188 | 0.03% |
| 2020 | 83,504 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 79,975 | 0.02% |
| 2018 | 84,665 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 81,809 | 0.02% |
Average clinical technician salary over time
Clinical technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $35,760 | $17.19 | +2.8% |
| 2024 | $34,788 | $16.73 | --0.7% |
| 2023 | $35,039 | $16.85 | +2.5% |
| 2022 | $34,169 | $16.43 | +2.0% |
| 2021 | $33,511 | $16.11 | --0.1% |
Clinical technician jobs by state
Most common states for clinical technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 371 | 53% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 596 | 45% |
| 3 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 336 | 44% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 1,219 | 39% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 513 | 38% |
| 6 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 2,486 | 37% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 324 | 37% |
| 8 | Vermont | 623,657 | 230 | 37% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 2,030 | 36% |
| 10 | Florida | 20,984,400 | 7,101 | 34% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 3,094 | 34% |
| 12 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,343 | 34% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 249 | 34% |
| 14 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 3,385 | 33% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 2,232 | 32% |
| 16 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 930 | 32% |
| 17 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 3,912 | 31% |
| 18 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 1,733 | 31% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1,126 | 31% |
| 20 | Delaware | 961,939 | 303 | 31% |
Most common cities for clinical technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jackson | 38 | 115% | $31,255 |
| 2 | Eastpointe | 16 | 49% | $31,663 |
| 3 | Iowa City | 17 | 23% | $30,339 |
| 4 | Taylor | 13 | 21% | $31,471 |
| 5 | Dearborn | 19 | 20% | $31,527 |
| 6 | Southfield | 11 | 15% | $31,605 |
| 7 | Pontiac | 8 | 13% | $31,676 |
| 8 | Burlington | 2 | 8% | $38,776 |
| 9 | Lawrence | 3 | 4% | $38,649 |
| 10 | Clinton | 3 | 3% | $31,730 |
| 11 | Detroit | 14 | 2% | $31,587 |
| 12 | Madison | 6 | 2% | $31,925 |
| 13 | Des Moines | 4 | 2% | $30,462 |
| 14 | Ann Arbor | 2 | 2% | $31,401 |
| 15 | Raleigh | 5 | 1% | $32,024 |
| 16 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $38,838 |
Clinical Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of clinical technician experts
Midstate College
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Saint Cloud State University
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology
Wenatchee Valley College
Agnes Scott College
Kettering University
Pennsylvania State University
Missouri University of Science and Technology
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Palm Beach State College
Southeastern Louisiana University
The University of New Hampshire's Central Science
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
ACVP - Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals
University of Charleston
What Clinical Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Candace Keck: Depending on the area where the medical assistant works, such as clinic vs hospital vs care facilities, the day-to-day duties can vary. The commonality, no matter the location, is they work closely with providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses, to name a few) and other healthcare professionals to deliver patient care. It can involve direct patient care and administrative work. They need to have strong communication skills, attention to detail, and a compassionate approach to patient care.
What general advice would you give to a Clinical Technician?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To maximize salary for a medical assistant obtaining certification from one of the credentialing organizations such as American Association of Medical Assistants (AAMA) can make a new hire more competitive. Continuing educations along with developing any specialized skills such as phlebotomy. Demonstrating professionalism initiative and reliability, along with gaining a strong reference from previous employers.
What will help Clinical Technicians increase their earning potential?
Eve Leija AAS, NCMA: To meet the demands of evolving healthcare and provide high-quality care to patients technological proficiency (EHR systems, Telehealth support), clinical skills (any skills that can enhance what you’ve learned in school. Phlebotomy, point of care testing devices), communication and soft skills (adaptability, problem-solving, empathy and compassion) are a must. I feel a lot of the younger generation lacks the soft skills needed in healthcare/professional jobs. Administrative skills and patient care and safety (infections control and chronic disease management).
What will help Clinical Technicians increase their earning potential?
Janice Noteboom, MHA/Ed., CMA (AAMA): Medical Assistants
have become a vital member to any health care team! Below are some specific
educational areas and training that a face-to-face or hybrid Medical Assistant
Program offers and what students will do on a daily basis (or during class and lab
sessions) that will help provide training quality assurance: (these are just some of
the areas of training and education that students will receive in an CAAHEP
(Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs) accredited
Medical Assistant Program:
Interacting with patients
Hands-on training with hypodermic needles used for injections and
venipuncture
Using other medical equipment like the various thermometers, pulse
oximeter, EKG machine, nebulizer, etc.
Experience with scheduling/accounting/EMR software applications
Students learn and practice many clinical procedures like patient transfers,
wound care, disease transmission prevention, completion of various
requisitions for medical testing, emergency procedures, caring for adult
and pediatric patients, and much more.
Students also learn and practice Pharmacology procedures which include
medication administration, adult and pediatric medication dosing,
medication uses, side effects/adverse effects/toxicity/etc.
Laboratory Procedures allows students to learn and practice how to
perform Point-of-Care testing, venipuncture, laboratory testing results,
urinalysis, etc.
Finally, Students will complete a Medical Assistant Program Externship at
a medical office/hospital/urgent care/specialty clinic to practice the skills
and training in real life.
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Department of Biological Sciences
What skills stand out on Clinical Technician resumes?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Good standing on biochemical concepts.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Clinical Technicians?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Pipetting, quantitative analysis, computer writing.
What skills will help Clinical Technicians earn the most?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Commitment.
Louise Millis
Medical Laboratory Science and Histotechnician Program Director, Associate Professor of BiologySaint Cloud State University
Medical Laboratory Science
What skills will help Clinical Technicians earn the most?
Louise Millis: -Problem solving gives you the ability to see opportunities, to take on additional tasks or projects
-Careful work: Precision, accuracy, reproducibility
-Ability to work with others
-Work experience with the above and also furthering your education
-Work experience which enhance base knowledge and technical skills
-Educational
-MBA for some positions (depends on the size of the hospital), management
-MS/Ph.D. for some positions
-Depends on the size of the hospital
-Also, needed for an academic position, MS for some, others require PhD
Robyn Tarpley
Director of Health and Medical SciencesPennsylvania Institute of Technology
Health and Medical Sciences Department
What soft skills should all Clinical Technicians possess?
Robyn Tarpley: Patient Care, communication skills, phone etiquette, critical thinking.
What skills will help Clinical Technicians earn the most?
Robyn Tarpley: NHA cert- being assertive and professional.
What skills stand out on Clinical Technician resumes?
Patrick Tracy: -Good critical-thinking skills
-Good problem-solving skills
-Able to prioritize tasks
-Pay attention to detail
-Take a process from beginning to end
-Maintain focus for periods
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorAgnes Scott College
Biology and Neuroscience Department
What soft skills should all Clinical Technicians possess?
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.: Teamwork, leadership, working with a diverse team.
What Clinical Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Daniel Ludwigsen: Graduates from our programs often find that graduate degrees, masters, or even doctorates, fit into their career trajectories well. If I were advising a graduating senior considering a gap year, I would suggest a certificate program in a relevant field, such as programming, data science, or similar areas. While these incorporate broadly applicable skills as well as valuable disciplinary perspective, these certificate programs often offer credit that can later be applied toward a graduate degree.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Clinical Technicians to find work opportunities?
Patrick Drohan Ph.D.: Depends on what they want to do, are they single, etc. If you are flexible and qualified you can land a job anywhere. If you are social, then moving to remote parts of Alaska might not be the best idea. If you are looking for a niche, having relative experience prior to applying will be important. There are lots of qualified candidates today who have impressive entry-level resumes. Women tend to be more qualified than men too.
Dr. Rainer Glaser
Professor and ChairMissouri University of Science and Technology
Chemistry Department
What skills stand out on Clinical Technician resumes?
Dr. Rainer Glaser: Chemistry competence is key, of course. As a close second, chemists need to demonstrate effective team player competence. Communication skills are essential, in conversation and in writing. Effective collaboration requires highly developed skills to work with team members, peers, and leadership.
Christopher Bae Ph.D.
Professor, Department ChairUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
Department of Anthropology
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Clinical Technicians?
Christopher Bae Ph.D.: Yes and no. Obviously, hiring in anthropology, like most academic fields, has become more difficult now because of the economic impact of COVID-19 worldwide. However, anthropology graduates are still managing to find job placement in postdoctoral research fellowships, cultural resource management firms, and non-governmental organizations. The applied areas of anthropology are where positions can still be found fairly regularly. Moving forward, however, I anticipate a rebound, like in most fields, of hires more broadly in anthropology.
What type of skills will young Clinical Technicians need?
Dr. Alexandra Gorgevska Ph.D.: Graduates [of all ages] will continue to need hands-on skills, the ability to work both in the group and individual settings, and, most importantly, be curious and teachable. Soft skills have taken on greater importance over the years, so we provide ongoing events for outreach, scientific communication, interview preparation, etc., to help provide students with ways to improve and grow their soft skills.
We are seeing scientific communications transitioning from in-person to remote settings, and our students are excelling at rising to the challenges. South Florida has a diverse life science career field, and our students continue to be well prepared to enter the job market and succeed in their career paths.
Mohammad Saadeh Ph.D.
Department HeadSoutheastern Louisiana University
Department of Industrial and Engineering Technology
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Clinical Technicians in the next 3-5 years?
Mohammad Saadeh Ph.D.: IoT and automation.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Clinical Technicians?
Glen P. Miller: Yes, there will be many enduring impacts. Office spaces and buildings will be devalued somewhat, while remote work and virtual meetings have become and will remain important. In chemistry and tangential fields, there will always be a need for in-person work in specialized laboratories, but the manner in which we communicate results internally and externally has changed. There will be less emphasis on in-person communication and a greater emphasis on remote and electronic communication, including email and video reports/presentations. Business travel will drop while skills that enable effective electronic communication will play an even larger role than they already do. Writing skills, including but not limited to technical writing, will become an increasingly valued characteristic of top employees. An ability to speak in a clear, articulate manner will also be prized. None of this, however, supersedes the need for graduates with a robust background in chemistry and a strong work ethic to match.
How do you envision technology impacting Clinical Technicians in the next 5 years?
Glen P. Miller: The chemistry field is constantly impacted by advancements in scientific instrumentation, hardware, and software, especially those that cut across adjacent fields like biology and materials science. Job seekers should be well-grounded in current technologies while aware of recent developments and trends.
Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.
Professor of Biological Sciences (Emeritus) & Teaching & Learning ConsultantUniversity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Biological Sciences Department
What Clinical Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.: The answers here depend on why the gap year is needed. If the need is to have an income, this would need to be balanced against other desirable needs and wishes.
- Thinking about a whole gap year, the student should make a long-term commitment to skills improvement and fill in gaps in a resume or job application.
-If the new graduate can afford it, spend some time traveling, to be exposed to different cultures and languages. If the student lives in an area with a growing LatinX population, learning some Spanish would be useful.
-If it looks like the gap year will not include activities related to the job they hope to get at the end of the year, then take at least one STEM course in their area of interest so as not to lose their edge. This could be an online course (for example, a MOOC). Do it for credit if necessary, to prove (to themselves and others) that they still love and want to succeed in science.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Clinical Technicians in the next 3-5 years?
Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.: -In any STEM field, predicting, recognizing, and fighting climate change looms large. In the life sciences, detecting the effects of environmental change at the species, individual, cellular, and molecular level will be increasingly necessary.
-Medical science will need to respond to new challenges arising out of climate change and the aging population. Supported (as always) by basic sciences, medical science will focus on big-picture biology, represented by the ever-growing number of "...omics". These include genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics... and the enabling technologies that let us look at a lot of genes, gene products, and biochemical reactions at the same time. Finally, the ever-improving gene-editing technologies can lead to the treatment of disease, leading to a greater understanding of the disease and biological process in general.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Clinical Technicians to find work opportunities?
Peggy McElgunn: Frankly, cardiovascular care is still the most robust field in healthcare. This is mainly because it remains the number one killer (heart disease), but COVID 19 has impacted this. We know COVID 19 effects the heart, as well. And there are places for qualified graduates EVERYWHERE! Most hospitals offer fantastic onboarding incentives, too. And of course, they all have their protocols and policies - again, speaking the value and importance of flexibility!
Of course, again, membership in the Alliance of Cardiovascular Professionals offers graduates a chance to network and learn directly from those working in the field. They are also the first to hear about opportunities and openings and often drive possibilities through these connections.
What Clinical Technician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amy Bruce: If a gap year is taken in nursing school, the student should try to work as a Certified Nurse Assistant or Nurse Extern. This will keep them in the field and keep their experiences and current knowledge fresh until he or she can return to school.