What is a medical technologist and how to become one

Q: Do medical technologists make good money?

Yes, medical technologists make good money. The average medical technologist makes around $60,000 a year, ranging between $27,500 to $88,000 a year. The large difference in earning potential seen for medical technologists is related to the location of the job, the type of medical technologist, and the number of years on the job.

Q: How do you become a certified medical technologist?

To become a certified medical technologist requires a bachelor's degree, practical experience, and certification and licensing. One way to become a medical technologist is to enroll in a medical laboratory technology degree program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).

Q: How long does it take to become a medical technologist?

It takes five years to become a medical technologist. The period it takes to become a medical technologist may vary among individuals depending on their dedication to completing the educational and clinical experience needed.

Q: Is it hard to be a medical technologist?

Yes, it is hard to be a medical technologist. To become a medical technologist requires a 4-year degree and depends on passing a state licensing exam (depending on the state).

Q: What are careers in medical technology?

X-ray technicians, medical coding specialists, and medical technologists are careers in medical technology. Here are descriptions of each of these careers and others in medical technology:

Q: What jobs can medical technologists do?

The jobs that medical technologists can do include running tests, process samples, and provide information about patients' conditions to doctors. Many medical technologists work on the side of the hospital that isn't commonly seen by patients. Almost 50% of medical technologists work in hospitals, 20% work in diagnostic labs, and 10% in doctors' offices.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Benjamin Ford

A medical technologist is a healthcare professional who performs laboratory tests to diagnose and treat medical conditions. They use sophisticated equipment to analyze samples of blood, tissue, and other bodily fluids, and interpret the results for healthcare providers. Medical technologists are responsible for ensuring the accuracy of test results, maintaining laboratory equipment, and adhering to safety protocols. A medical technologist plays a crucial role in patient care by providing information to make informed decisions about treatment.

What general advice would you give to a medical technologist?

Benjamin Ford

Professor and Chair, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Students graduating this year have come through a life-changing year. I'd encourage them to embrace that change. Rather than putting this year behind them and moving on, I'd like graduates to reflect on what worked and didn't work in the past year, and use that reflection to improve themselves and the world. This could be as simple as continuing to hone the time management skills we were all forced to develop, or as large as working to dismantle one of the structural inequalities that became glaringly apparent as nations struggled with health and economy.

ScoreMedical TechnologistUS Average

Salary

4.2

Avg. Salary $53,249

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

9.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%

Asian 11.88%

Black or African American 11.14%

Hispanic or Latino 17.80%

Unknown 5.15%

White 53.23%

Gender

female 68.52%

male 31.48%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress level

9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.6

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.3

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a medical technologist?

Pros

High demand
Good salary and benefits
Chance to make a difference in patients' lives
Continuous learning and professional development
Flexible work schedules

Cons

Long hours and irregular schedules
Exposure to infectious diseases and hazardous materials
Challenging and demanding workload
High-pressure situations
Can be physically demanding

Key steps to become a medical technologist

Explore medical technologist education requirements

Most common medical technologist degrees

Bachelor's

62.8 %

Associate

16.9 %

Master's

5.7 %

Start to develop specific medical technologist skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	10.25%
Clinical Laboratory	7.77%
ASCP	7.02%
Customer Service	5.93%
Patient Care	4.16%

Complete relevant medical technologist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical technologists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical technologist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical technologist resumes.

Research medical technologist duties and responsibilities

Manage departmental recovery activities after installation of upgrades affecting the LIS affect.
Perform medical/laboratory procedures in all departments including microbiology, chemistry, blood bank, hematology, urinalysis, and immunology.
Perform laboratory test to corporal fluids applying analysis fields like biochemistry, microbiology, hematology, immunology, urinalysis and blood bank
Execute and analyze laboratory test in biochemistry, urinalysis, hematology, microbiology, blood bank and serology department.

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