How to hire a pathologist

How to hire a pathologist, step by step

Here's a step-by-step pathologist hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a pathologist job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new pathologist
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a pathologist do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a pathologist, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A pathologist's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, pathologists from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of pathologists and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Pathologist	Description	Hourly rate
   Pathologist	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses. Physicians examine patients; take medical histories; prescribe medications; and order, perform, and interpret diagnostic tests... Show more	$12-71

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Patients
   • Patient Care
   • Diagnosis
   • GI
   • GYN
   • Frozen Sections
   • Laboratory Medicine
   • Surgical Pathology
   • Pathology Services
   • Surgical Specimens
   • Rehabilitation
   • FDA
   • Test Results
   • Biomarkers

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Supervise and manage pathology, microbiology and biochemistry laboratory.
   • Provide consultations to care providers and interpret laboratory findings and diagnosis to patients.
   • Screen by ELISA & immunoblots.
   • Result in answering an FDA concern regarding device.
   • Participate in FDA submissions, plan 510k and PMA submissions.
   • Perform oncology markers and hormonal assays by Elisa and Delfia system.

   More pathologist duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the pathologist job description is a good way to get more applicants. A pathologist salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a pathologist in Oklahoma may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level pathologist. Additionally, a pathologist with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average pathologist salary

   $61,808yearly

   $29.72 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level pathologist salary

   $25,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 26, 2025

   Average pathologist salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Alaska	$92,151	$44
   2	Rhode Island	$88,245	$42
   3	Massachusetts	$80,189	$39
   4	Connecticut	$80,141	$39
   5	Ohio	$78,529	$38
   6	California	$73,381	$35
   7	New York	$71,779	$35
   8	Michigan	$71,632	$34
   9	Pennsylvania	$66,454	$32
   10	New Jersey	$65,623	$32
   11	Arizona	$65,161	$31
   12	Texas	$62,083	$30
   13	Nevada	$61,182	$29
   14	Wisconsin	$60,367	$29
   15	Louisiana	$60,312	$29
   16	Virginia	$58,808	$28
   17	Iowa	$58,741	$28
   18	North Carolina	$57,635	$28
   19	Oregon	$56,438	$27
   20	Florida	$56,155	$27

   Average pathologist salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	UT Medical Group, Inc.	$221,279	$106.38
   2	Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center	$194,185	$93.36	8
   3	Southern Illinois Healthcare	$191,110	$91.88	1
   4	Christie Clinic	$189,055	$90.89
   5	Emory Healthcare	$175,085	$84.18	21
   6	Dana-Farber Cancer Institute	$167,384	$80.47
   7	Appalachian Regional Healthcare System	$164,675	$79.17
   8	Ohio Valley Medical Center Incorporated	$161,515	$77.65
   9	Cleveland Clinic	$156,933	$75.45	32
   10	SoutheastHEALTH	$151,029	$72.61
   11	Lancaster General Health	$146,871	$70.61
   12	Massachusetts General Hospital	$144,048	$69.25
   13	UMass Memorial Health	$142,687	$68.60	11
   14	Moffitt Cancer Center	$140,558	$67.58	5
   15	Novartis	$132,777	$63.84
   16	23andMe	$132,595	$63.75
   17	Northwell Health	$130,968	$62.97	17
   18	UNIVERSITY MEDICAL SERVICE	$130,259	$62.62
   19	Merck	$120,819	$58.09
   20	Medstar Health	$118,144	$56.80

4. Writing a pathologist job description

   A job description for a pathologist role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a pathologist job description:

   Pathologist job description example

   The Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Center for Immuno-Oncology (DFCI CIO) is recruiting a Pathologist/Histopathologist to perform pathology review, interpretation and analysis of research projects in the CIO Tissue Biomarker Laboratory.
   
   The CIO's goals are to support the conduct of human-based immuno-oncology research and develop innovative approaches and technologies. As part of the Center, the Tissue Biomarker Laboratory performs quantitative and qualitative assessment of Immune Biomarkers, and supports DFCI research projects by performing multiplex quantitative immune-staining and image analysis, as well as other research analyses such as chromogenic immunohistochemical (IHC) staining, targeted gene expression profiling and molecular classification, targeted genetic and genomic analyses (FISH).
   
   The Tissue Biomarker Laboratory employs 2 Ph.D. scientists and 5 technicians and is involved in 10-12 collaborative research projects at any given time. A critical component of all projects is to perform pathology review to identify and interpret specimens required for research projects, as well as to interpret images and data resulting from the use of innovative testing technologies. The CIO Histopathologist will be responsible for completing all necessary Pathology review, interpretation and analysis for projects in a timely manner.
   
   There are abundant opportunities to learn and grow in this environment. The successful candidate will contribute to world-class investigative teams in bringing their expertise to the DFCI, and where the mission to Defy Cancer is palpable. They will also interact meaningfully with faculty, staff, and trainees at Harvard Medical School and at Brigham and Women's Pathology.
   
   Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.
   
   Manage and coordinate all Pathology day-to-day activities across TBL, and coordinate Pathology-required activities with other labs within and outside of CIO.
   
   Assess quality of specimens received to verify they are adequate for testing. Ensure proper treatment, labeling, and storage of research specimens to maintain the diagnostic viability of specimens for histological and cytological analyses as well as to optimize testing.
   Review specimens/slides to confirm adequacy and annotate regions of interest. Review and interpret of hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) stained tissue sections. Review, interpret and approve immunohistochemical/ immunofluorescence-stained tissue sections and image analysis data. Review, interpret and approve image analysis data. Review and interpret histopathology data with laboratory scientists internal and external to CIO. Work closely with CIO TBL Director, CIO TBL Lead Senior Scientist and CIO Associate Director to ensure the successful and timely completion of research projects performed by the Center. Anticipate, identify and resolve pathology-related issues on an ongoing basis. Assist with assessing the pathological implications of any analyses conducted in TBL. Advise DFCI-investigators and Laboratory Scientists on appropriate testing and analysis of tissue-based biomarkers Collaborate and seek Pathology expertise, as needed, with the DFCI Department of Pathology. Provide project management and liaison support for collaborators; however, this position does not have any direct reports. MD with post-graduate training (within the US or international) in diagnostic histopathology and 6+ years of post-graduate/training experience is preferred. Experience in Oncology or cancer research is strongly preferred. Expertise and/or practice in interpreting immunohistochemical/ immunofluorescence stains is preferred. Experience with image analysis software is expected. Demonstrated experience working independently. Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and excellent organizational and analytical skills. Ability to work closely and effectively with a diverse group of individuals from technicians to senior leaders. Demonstrated experience working in a collaborative and interdisciplinary team environment. Excellent oral and written communication skills. At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other groups as protected by law.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find pathologists for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any pathologists they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level pathologists with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your pathologist job on Zippia to find and recruit pathologist candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit pathologists, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new pathologist

   Once you've selected the best pathologist candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new pathologist. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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