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Cytology laboratory technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a cytology laboratory technician. Cytology laboratory technicians usually study biology, clinical/medical laboratory science, or psychology. 68% of cytology laboratory technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 59 real cytology laboratory technician resumes to see exactly what cytology laboratory technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for cytology laboratory technicians are the Husson University and the Husson University.
There are also many online cytology laboratory technician courses to help get the education required to be a cytology laboratory technician.
What education do you need to become a cytology laboratory technician?
What degree do you need to be a cytology laboratory technician?
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
What should I major in to become a cytology laboratory technician?
- Biology, 32%
- Psychology, 5%
- Chemistry, 5%
- Other Majors, 49%
Most common colleges for cytology laboratory technicians
| Cytology laboratory technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Husson University | 9.09% |
| University of Wisconsin Colleges | 9.09% |
| Regis University | 4.55% |
| Arapahoe Community College | 4.55% |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | 4.55% |
Best majors for cytology laboratory technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Biology | 31.8% |
| 2 | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science | 9.1% |
| 3 | Psychology | 4.5% |
| 4 | Chemistry | 4.5% |
| 5 | Biotechnology | 4.5% |
Best colleges for cytology laboratory technicians
The best colleges for cytology laboratory technicians are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
A cytology laboratory technician with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for cytology laboratory technicians. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become cytology laboratory technicians.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,354
Enrollment
7,083
3. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
4. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
9. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
10. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
20 best online courses for cytology laboratory technicians
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Top 10 most affordable universities for cytology laboratory technicians
The most affordable schools for cytology laboratory technicians are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.
If the best universities for cytology laboratory technicians are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for cytology laboratory technicians.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
4. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
6. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
7. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
8. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for cytology laboratory technicians
The hardest universities for cytology laboratory technicians to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Pennsylvania.
Some great schools for cytology laboratory technicians are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for cytology laboratory technicians based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
3. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
9. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
10. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for cytology laboratory technicians
The easiest schools for cytology laboratory technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, gwynedd mercy university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a cytology laboratory technician without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for cytology laboratory technicians.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
5. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
6. Presentation College
Aberdeen, SD • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,050
7. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
8. Oregon Institute of Technology
Klamath Falls, OR • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,139
9. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
10. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
Average cytology laboratory technician salary by education level
| Cytology laboratory technician education level | Cytology laboratory technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $58,938 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,621 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,764 |
| Doctorate Degree | $57,664 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $45,672 |
Cytology laboratory technician education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025