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Histotechnician vs histologic technician

The differences between histotechnicians and histologic technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a histotechnician, becoming a histologic technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a histologic technician has an average salary of $49,962, which is higher than the $49,119 average annual salary of a histotechnician.

The top three skills for a histotechnician include ASCP, tissue specimens and CLIA. The most important skills for a histologic technician are ASCP, patients, and tissue specimens.

Histotechnician vs histologic technician overview

HistotechnicianHistologic Technician
Yearly salary$49,119$49,962
Hourly rate$23.61$24.02
Growth rate17%-
Number of jobs42,6476,785
Job satisfaction4.5-
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Average age4444
Years of experience122

What does a histotechnician do?

Histotechnicians are clinical laboratory technicians who prepare thin body tissue samples by pathologists. The majority of the technicians work in hospitals or libraries. Among the duties they perform include special stains, filling slides and blocks, send-outs, and re-cuts. They execute routine and complex non-routine special stains like tissue and specimen cutting and embedding. It is also their responsibility to execute routine maintenance and calibrations of microscopes, automated slide strainers, and microtomes.

What does a histologic technician do?

A Histologic Technician prepares tissue specimens for routine and special procedures to confirm a patient diagnosis. They work in hospital laboratories, government agencies, public health departments, and other institutions.

Histotechnician vs histologic technician salary

Histotechnicians and histologic technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

HistotechnicianHistologic Technician
Average salary$49,119$49,962
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $80,000Between $33,000 And $75,000
Highest paying CityPalo Alto, CASacramento, CA
Highest paying stateAlaskaAlaska
Best paying companyStanford Health CareBattelle
Best paying industry--

Differences between histotechnician and histologic technician education

There are a few differences between a histotechnician and a histologic technician in terms of educational background:

HistotechnicianHistologic Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 46%Bachelor's Degree, 53%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeNew York UniversityStanford University

Histotechnician vs histologic technician demographics

Here are the differences between histotechnicians' and histologic technicians' demographics:

HistotechnicianHistologic Technician
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 27.5% Female, 72.5%Male, 30.4% Female, 69.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between histotechnician and histologic technician duties and responsibilities

Histotechnician example responsibilities.

  • Recognize & investigate instrument malfunctions, perform calibrations, manage QC, and maintain comprehensive written records of tests & procedures.
  • Perform special staining procedures on specimens with the use of Hematoxylin and Eosin stains.
  • General histology technician duties including embedding, cutting and routine, special, and IHC staining.
  • Perform routine histology, immunohistochemistry, and special stains by hand, per standard operating procedures.
  • Assimilate and report clinical pathology study data to support preclinical submissions to the FDA.
  • Support GMP with histology QC report.
  • Show more

Histologic technician example responsibilities.

  • Perform routine histology/cytology procedures and IHC and manage 7-20 staff members.
  • Develop and implement health and safety protocols and procedures in accordance with CLIA and OSHA regulations
  • Develop a higher grade eosin for stainline.
  • Enter patient specimens into the EMR system/file patient records.
  • Cut all control slides for research and run all immunofluorescence slides.
  • Perform processing, embedding, microtomy, cryostating, routine and special stains.
  • Show more

Histotechnician vs histologic technician skills

Common histotechnician skills
  • ASCP, 18%
  • Tissue Specimens, 6%
  • CLIA, 6%
  • Microtome, 6%
  • Specimen Handling, 5%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 4%
Common histologic technician skills
  • ASCP, 15%
  • Patients, 12%
  • Tissue Specimens, 5%
  • CLIA, 4%
  • IHC, 4%
  • Sectioning, 4%

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