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Medical Lab Technician

Medical lab technicians perform the tests behind most diagnoses — analyzing blood, tissue, and other samples. A solid, in-demand healthcare role with a shorter training path.

Median salary (BLS)

$60,000

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$40k – $85k

Job outlook

+5% (about average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $93,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Medical Lab Technician

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$8,200–$23,000

Time to qualify

2.2 yr

Renewal

$75/yr

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    National & state licensure

    License

    A national board/registry exam plus a state license application (the NCLEX pattern). Exact exam and fees depend on the role and state.

    $200–$1,000 · 2 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Medical Lab Technician" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Medical Lab Technician

    Entry / Junior

    $40,000

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Medical Lab Technician

    Established

    $60,000

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Medical Lab Technician

    Senior

    $72,500

Key skills

Lab techniqueAttention to detailData recordingSafety

A typical day

  • •Collect and prepare samples
  • •Run lab tests
  • •Record and report results

Fields of study

Medical Laboratory Science · Biology

Top colleges for Healthcare

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.

Related careers

Registered NurseChemistBiologist

Other careers from this field of study

Mapped by field-of-study code (Medical Laboratory Science, Biology), not by job-title guessing.

Biological Science Teachers, PostsecondaryMedical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists