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Health technician education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a health technician. Health technicians usually study nursing, medical assisting services, or business. 39% of health technicians hold a bachelor's degree, and 26% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 4,731 real health technician resumes to see exactly what health technician education sections show.
The most common colleges for health technicians are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online health technician courses to help get the education required to be a health technician.
There are certain health technician certifications that you should consider. These health technician certifications include Medical Assistant and Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT).
What education do you need to become a health technician?
What degree do you need to be a health technician?
- Bachelor's, 39%
- Associate, 26%
- High School Diploma, 11%
- Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 16%
What should I major in to become a health technician?
- Nursing, 14%
- Business, 10%
- Psychology, 8%
- Other Majors, 56%
Most common colleges for health technicians
| Health technician common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 21.16% |
| Grand Canyon University | 7.05% |
| Pima Medical Institute | 6.22% |
| Keiser University | 6.22% |
| Arizona State University | 4.98% |
Best majors for health technicians
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing | 14.5% |
| 2 | Medical Assisting Services | 11.5% |
| 3 | Business | 10.0% |
| 4 | Psychology | 8.0% |
| 5 | General Studies | 5.9% |
Best colleges for health technicians
The best colleges for health technicians are Case Western Reserve University, Emory University, and Northwestern University.
A health 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 health 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 health technicians.
1. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
2. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$49,042
Enrollment
5,131
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
4. Inter American University of Puerto Rico Arecibo
Arecibo, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$5,872
Enrollment
3,553
5. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
6. University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$19,080
Enrollment
19,127
7. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
8. University of Colorado Denver
Denver, CO • Private
In-state tuition
$9,283
Enrollment
11,892
9. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$23,900
Enrollment
836
10. Rhode Island College
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$8,929
Enrollment
6,480
20 best online courses for health technicians
Advertising disclosure
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This course explores why primary health care is central for achieving Health for All. It provides examples of how primary health care has been instrumental in approaching this goal in selected populations and how the principles of primary health care can guide future policies and actions. Two of the most inspiring, least understood, and most often derided terms in global health discourse are “Health for All” and “Primary Health Care.” In this course, we will explore these terms in the context...
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4. Health Data 101
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5. Health After Cancer: Cancer Survivorship for Primary Care
This course presents basic principles of cancer survivorship to primary-care physicians. Developed by a team of experts in caring for cancer survivors, and narrated by a primary-care physician, this course provides practical tips and tools that can be easily integrated into medical practice. You will learn about the complex physical and psychosocial needs and concerns of the growing number of cancer survivors, along with the key role that primary care physicians have in guiding these patients...
6. Health Care IT: Challenges and Opportunities
A strong argument can be made that the health care field is one of the most information-intensive sectors in the U.S. economy and avoidance of the rapid advances in information technology is no longer an option. Consequently, the study of health care information technology and systems has become central to health care delivery effectiveness. This course covers the modern application of information technology that is critical to supporting the vision and operational knowledge of the health care...
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9. Health in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies
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10. Data and Health Indicators in Public Health Practice
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12. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Health & Wellness
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13. Health Coaching Conversations
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14. Workplace Mental Health: A Manager's Ultimate Guide
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15. Mental Health and Wellness Professional (MHW) Diploma Course
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16. Health Coaching Certification Holistic Wellness Health Coach
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17. Mental Health First Aid Skills -
This course is designed to provide the tools and knowledge for learners to help and support those experiencing MH issues...
18. The 5 Element Theory: How to Enhance Health and Healing
Learn How the 5 Element Theory in Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Enhance Your Health, Healing and Well Being...
19. Addiction & Mental Health - Chemically Speaking Two (2hrs)
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20. Home Health Aide, Nurse Aide, Caregiver Certification Course
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Top 10 most affordable universities for health technicians
The most affordable schools for health technicians are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for health 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 health technicians.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
5. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
6. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
7. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
8. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
9. California State University - Fullerton
Fullerton, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,886
Cost of attendance
17,645
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for health technicians
The hardest universities for health technicians to get into are Case Western Reserve University, Emory University, and Northwestern University.
Some great schools for health 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 health 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. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
2. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
4. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
5. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
6. University of Rochester
Rochester, NY • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,422
7. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
8. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
10. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for health technicians
The easiest schools for health technicians to get into are AdventHealth University, nyack college, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a health 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 health technicians.
1. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
2. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Washington Adventist Hospital
Takoma Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
52%
SAT average
958
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. California University of Pennsylvania
California, PA • Private
Admissions rate
97%
SAT average
1,007
7. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
8. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
9. Pennsylvania State University - Shenango
Sharon, PA • Private
Admissions rate
75%
SAT average
989
10. Pennsylvania State University - Fayette (The Eberly Campus)
Lemont Furnace, PA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,067
Average health technician salary by education level
| Health technician education level | Health technician salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $41,638 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $37,567 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,464 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,670 |
Health 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