Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for cytology laboratory technicians in the United States
Cytology laboratory technician job and salary trends over time
Cytology laboratory technician jobs over time
Cytology laboratory technician job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 59 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 61 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 61 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 60 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 60 | 0.00% |
Average cytology laboratory technician salary over time
Cytology laboratory technician salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $46,680 | $22.44 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $45,411 | $21.83 | --0.7% |
| 2024 | $45,738 | $21.99 | +2.5% |
| 2023 | $44,603 | $21.44 | +2.0% |
| 2022 | $43,743 | $21.03 | --0.1% |
Cytology laboratory technician jobs by state
Most common states for cytology laboratory technicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 173 | 20% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 133 | 18% |
| 3 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 522 | 17% |
| 4 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 210 | 16% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,058 | 15% |
| 6 | Vermont | 623,657 | 91 | 15% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 99 | 13% |
| 8 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 689 | 12% |
| 9 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 125 | 12% |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 84 | 12% |
| 11 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 763 | 11% |
| 12 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 316 | 11% |
| 13 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 151 | 11% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 743 | 10% |
| 15 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 651 | 10% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 615 | 10% |
| 17 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 563 | 10% |
| 18 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 325 | 10% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 186 | 10% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 168 | 10% |
Most common cities for cytology laboratory technicians
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Phoenix | 1 | 0% | $60,981 |
Cytology Laboratory Technician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of cytology laboratory technician experts
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Saint Cloud State University
Agnes Scott College
University of Hawaii at Manoa
Palm Beach State College
Southeastern Louisiana University
The University of New Hampshire's Central Science
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Alabama in Huntsville
Department of Biological Sciences
What skills stand out on Cytology Laboratory Technician resumes?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Good standing on biochemical concepts.
What soft skills should all Cytology Laboratory Technicians possess?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Planification.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Cytology Laboratory Technicians?
Dr. Luis Rogelio Cruz-Vera: Pipetting, quantitative analysis, computer writing.
What skills will help Cytology Laboratory 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 soft skills should all Cytology Laboratory Technicians possess?
Louise Millis: Understanding that a patient's sample is from a loved one. Results matter. They need to be perfect
What skills will help Cytology Laboratory 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
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorAgnes Scott College
Biology and Neuroscience Department
What skills stand out on Cytology Laboratory Technician resumes?
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.: Animal handling or work with animal model systems, science presentations at the symposium, internships or independent research projects, inquiry-given lab experiences
What hard/technical skills are most important for Cytology Laboratory Technicians?
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.: Ability to run PCRs, ability to run gel electrophoresis, statistical analysis
What skills will help Cytology Laboratory Technicians earn the most?
Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.: A combination of the skills listed in 1-3.
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 Cytology Laboratory 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 Cytology Laboratory 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 Cytology Laboratory 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 Cytology Laboratory 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.