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Types of Degrees Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many clinical/medical laboratory science graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.
| Education Level | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Basic Certificate | 9,843 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4,002 |
| Associate Degree | 2,744 |
| Undergraduate Certificate | 1,329 |
| Master’s Degree | 550 |
| Graduate Certificate | 402 |
| Doctor’s Degree | 14 |
What Majors Need to Know
In an O*NET survey, clinical laboratory science majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.
Knowledge Areas for Clinical Laboratory Science Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in clinical laboratory science should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
Skills for Clinical Laboratory Science Majors
A major in clinical laboratory science prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:
- Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Abilities for Clinical Laboratory Science Majors
A major in clinical laboratory science will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:
- Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
What Can You Do With a Major?
People with a clinical laboratory science degree often go into the following careers:
| Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Cytogenetic Technologists | 11.6% | NA |
| Cytotechnologists | 11.6% | NA |
| Health Specialties Professors | 25.9% | $97,370 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians | 19.6% | $42,920 |
| Histotechnologists and Histologic Technicians | 11.6% | NA |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | 14.0% | NA |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 11.6% | NA |
| Medical Equipment Preparers | 11.1% | $36,240 |
| Ophthalmic Laboratory Technicians | 11.7% | $31,830 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technologists | 19.6% | $42,920 |
| Phlebotomists | 24.5% | $34,480 |
| Surgical Technologists | 11.7% | $47,300 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in ?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of clinical laboratory science majors is as follows:
| Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
|---|---|
| Asian | 522 |
| Black or African American | 445 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 540 |
| White | 2,028 |
| International Students | 125 |
| Other Races/Ethnicities | 342 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Clinical Laboratory Science. About 3.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:
- Saudi Arabia
- Nepal
- China
- South Korea
- Nigeria
How Much Do Majors Make?
Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary
Salaries According to BLS
Clinical Laboratory Science majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $35,560 to $49,040 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to
Some degrees associated with clinical laboratory science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.
Find out what the typical degree level is for clinical laboratory science careers below.
| Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Less than a High School Diploma | 0.5% |
| High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) | 13.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 14.4% |
| Some College Courses | 5.8% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 19.5% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 28.4% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. | 9.5% |
| Master’s Degree | 4.5% |
| Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. | 0.3% |
| First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. | 1.1% |
| Doctoral Degree | 1.5% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 1.4% |
Online Programs
The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
| Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
| Certificate (1-2 years) | 134 | 5 |
| Certificate (2-4 Years) | 6 | 1 |
| Associate’s Degree | 327 | 21 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 44 | 5 |
| Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
| Master’s Degree | 65 | 11 |
| Post-Master’s | 5 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 5 | 2 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 1 | 0 |
| Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Worth It?
The median salary for a clinical laboratory science grad is $37,990 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
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Majors Related to
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to clinical laboratory science.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Staff Sgt. Jerilyn Quintanilla under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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