Cytogenetics Technologist

Types of Degrees Cytogenetics Technologist Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	34
Master’s Degree	12

What Cytogenetics Technologist Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Skills for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist Majors

When studying cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• 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.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

Abilities for Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist Majors

As you progress with your cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

What Can You Do With a Cytogenetics Technologist Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Cytogenetic Technologists	11.6%	NA
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists	11.6%	NA

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Cytogenetics Technologist?

The major attracts more women than men. About 74% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	8
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	7
White	12
International Students	5
Other Races/Ethnicities	1

Geographic Diversity

Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist appeals to people across the globe. About 14.7% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Cytogenetics Technologist

Some careers associated with cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. 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.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	0.2%
Some College Courses	0.8%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	19.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	65.7%
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.	9.4%
Master’s Degree	5.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	1.4%

Online Cytogenetics Technologist Programs

In 2020-2021, 4 schools offered a cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist program of some type. 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)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	1	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	2	1
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Cytogenetics Technologist

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to cytogenetics/genetics/clinical genetics technology/technologist.

Major	Number of Grads
Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist	7,599
Laboratory Technician	4,185
Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology	3,912
Sterile Processing Technology/Technician	1,108
Other Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions	982
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	280
Histologic Technician	243
Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician	220
Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist	106
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist	101
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician	78
Hematology Technology	41

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.