1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
What is a Medical Technologist?
If you have ever watched the medical TV series Grey's Anatomy, the medical technologist is the person who the doctors go to when they request a lab test. They are the hidden superstars, conducting medical laboratory tests and analysis, providing physicians with information for preventing, diagnosing, and treating disease.
The medical technologist is involved in processing clinical samples, performing laboratory procedures, undertaking bench work, assessing supplies and reagents as well as managing inventory control systems. Besides that, they also assist in ensuring quality control in data and testing results.
A medical technologist is required to have a bachelor's degree that is medical or science-related as well as at least one year of clinical laboratory experience. They earn, on average, $24 per hour. This role suits an individual who enjoys conducting laboratory research and being a vital support role for healthcare personnel.
What Does a Medical Technologist Do
Medical laboratory technologists (commonly known as medical laboratory scientists) and medical laboratory technicians collect samples and perform tests to analyze body fluids, tissue, and other substances.
How To Become a Medical Technologist
Medical laboratory technologists typically need a bachelor’s degree. Technicians usually need an associate’s degree or a postsecondary certificate. Some states require technologists and technicians to be licensed.
Medical Technologist Job Description
Medical technologists work in the laboratory of a hospital or clinic where they provide services related to the collection and analysis of patient samples like blood, body fluids, or tissues using different tools and methods. They are knowledgeable in handling different machines and analyzing the results provided by the machines that process samples.
Learn more about Medical Technologist Job DescriptionMedical Technologist Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a medical technologist can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as certified nursing assistant, progress to a title such as registered nurse and then eventually end up with the title nurse manager.
Medical Technologist
Nurse Manager
9 Years
Patient Care Manager
5 Years
Clinical Manager
8 Years
Laboratory Manager
5 Years
Quality Assurance Director
11 Years
Laboratory Director
9 Years
Show More
Average Salary for a Medical Technologist
Medical Technologists in America make an average salary of $53,249 per year or $26 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $68,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $41,000 per year.
Average Medical Technologist Salary
$53,249 Yearly$25.60 hourly
What Am I Worth?
Roles and Types of Medical Technologist
The role of a medical technologist includes a wide range of responsibilities. These responsibilities can vary based on an individual's specific job, company, or industry.Here are some general medical technologist responsibilities:
- Perform stat and routine moderately and highly complex clinical laboratory testing on biological specimens, using both manual methods
- Demonstrates knowledge of human growth and development, assessment, range of treatment,
- Use education, experience and analytical judgment to perform duties in the clinical laboratory in a prompt, efficient,
There are several types of medical technologist, including:
Pharmacist Technician
Role:
Pharmacy technicians make sure prescriptions are filled appropriately with the correct dosage and even correct medication in the package. They also make sure the right customer receives the right prescription.
You can find a lot of pharmacist technicians working in a pharmacy but some find work in drug stores, grocery stores, hospitals, and even general merchandise stores. No matter where you'll be working, you'll probably be required to work a full-time schedule of 40 hours.
Since you'll be standing up the majority of the day, you might find it helpful to buy some really comfy shoes. And before you apply, make sure you, at least, have a high school diploma under your belt, if not also a post-secondary education program. Regardless, you will receive some on-the-job training, so you won't be released to filling prescriptions until you have learned to do so.
- Average Salary: $36,090
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Laboratory Technician
Role:
As a laboratory technician, you get to do all the nitty gritty work, like collecting samples. But you also get to study and take part in conducting tests. So it's not all nitty gritty, at least.
The majority of your day as a laboratory technician will be spent in a lab, surrounded by bodily fluids, chemicals, and organic matter. If any of that makes you squirmish just thinking about it, then it's not too late to turn back.
Employers prefer that you have a bachelor's degree before pursuing a position as a laboratory tech, but associate degrees are also welcome. Before you start, you'll need to rack up a few years of experience in lab work. It probably wouldn't be a good thing if you blew up the lab on your first day.
- Average Salary: $40,038
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
Certified Pharmacist Technician
Role:
Certified pharmacy technicians assist pharmacists. They assemble and hand out medicine for prescriptions and provide information about usage and dosage. This is not the kind of job that you can just figure out as you go. You need appropriate education to be hired, and you need to prove it with a certification.
This probably will not come as a surprise, pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies. Okay, the special ones work in hospitals or ambulances, sometimes in government agencies, or private settings, serving special groups, like nuclear pharmacies. Or you can just ditch the customer service aspect of the job entirely and go for handmade preparation of medications in compound pharmacies.
For better or worse, pharmaceuticals is a modern-day gold mine. This position is normally full-time with regular hours, and on average, you earn $32,700 a year, but it can easily open doors to higher-paying positions as well.
- Average Salary: $37,059
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree
States With The Most Medical Technologist Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active medical technologist jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where medical technologists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average Salary: Job Openings:
Number Of Medical Technologist Jobs By State
Top Colleges for Medical Technologists
2. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-State Tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
3. University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT • Private
In-State Tuition
$15,730
Enrollment
18,830
4. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-State Tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
5. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
6. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-State Tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
7. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-State Tuition
$6,410
Enrollment
31,321
8. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-State Tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
9. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-State Tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
10. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-State Tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
Choose From 10+ Customizable Medical Technologist Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Medical Technologist templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Medical Technologist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Medical Technologist diversity
Medical Technologist Gender Distribution
Female
69%
Male
32%
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among medical technologists, 68.5% of them are women, while 31.5% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among medical technologists is White, which makes up 53.2% of all medical technologists.
- The most common foreign language among medical technologists is Spanish at 57.4%.
Online Courses For Medical Technologist That You May Like
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Best States For a Medical Technologist
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a medical technologist. The best states for people in this position are Alaska, Washington, California, and Hawaii. Medical technologists make the most in Alaska with an average salary of $79,790. Whereas in Washington and California, they would average $69,535 and $68,095, respectively. While medical technologists would only make an average of $67,418 in Hawaii, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Idaho
Total Medical Technologist Jobs: 504
Highest 10% Earn:
$74,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
$58,873
Avg. Salary
2. Alaska
Total Medical Technologist Jobs: 169
Highest 10% Earn:
$91,000
Location Quotient:
0.96
$79,790
Avg. Salary
3. California
Total Medical Technologist Jobs: 7,380
Highest 10% Earn:
$90,000
Location Quotient:
1.2
$68,095
Avg. Salary
How Do Medical Technologists Rate Their Jobs?
Medical Technologist Reviews
Pros
I like working in the Microbiology and Virology area. I have 35 years experience in those areas
Cons
I really like everything about being a Medical Technologist. Is a great profession
Top Medical Technologist Employers
Most Common Employers For Medical Technologist
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | American Red Cross | $67,988 | $32.69 | 109 |
| 2 | University Hospitals | $56,239 | $27.04 | 66 |
| 3 | Mayo Clinic | $56,104 | $26.97 | 65 |
| 4 | Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings | $55,582 | $26.72 | 250 |
| 5 | Quest Diagnostics | $55,400 | $26.63 | 644 |
| 6 | UT Health East Texas | $54,337 | $26.12 | 69 |
| 7 | ARUP Laboratories | $54,169 | $26.04 | 81 |
| 8 | Cleveland Clinic | $53,995 | $25.96 | 67 |
| 9 | US Air Conditioning Distributors | $53,486 | $25.71 | 554 |
| 10 | CSL Plasma | $53,468 | $25.71 | 120 |
Medical Technologist Videos
Medical & Clinical Lab Tech Salary | How Much Money Does a Lab Tech make?
Medical Laboratory Technician, Career Video from drkit.org
Becoming a Medical Technologist FAQs
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.
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).
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.
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).
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:
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.
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.