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Cytogenetics Technologist

What Cytogenetics Technologist Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Cytogenetics Technologist develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cytogenetics Technologist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Cytogenetics Technologist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Cytogenetics Technologist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Cytogenetics Technologist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cytogenetics Technologist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cytogenetics Technologist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Laboratory information system LIS	Medical software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Specimen labeling system software	Label making software	—
Cerner Millennium	Medical software	—
Brady Specimen Labeling System	Label making software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cytogenetics Technologist graduates include:

• Histotechnician
• Histologist
• Cytologist
• Histologic Aide
• Histology Laboratory Aide
• Histology Coordinator
• Clinical Histology Technician (Clinical Histology Tech)
• Histology Lab Assistant (Histology Laboratory Assistant)
• Histology Assistant
• Certified Histologic Technician (Certified Histologic Tech)
• Histologic Technician (HT)
• Mohs Technician (Mohs Tech)
• Histology Technician (HT)
• Histology Consultant
• Medical Technologist (MT)

What Can You Do With a Cytogenetics Technologist Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Cytogenetics Technologist commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Histology Technicians	-0.2%	$80,721	$64,080–$97,363
Cytotechnologists	10.3%	$155,812	$122,715–$188,909
Cytogenetic Technologists	1.9%	$155,361	$132,419–$178,303
Histotechnologists	4.1%	$125,527	$97,510–$153,544
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians	12.4%	$155,908	$123,571–$188,246
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists	3.9%	$77,339	$66,096–$88,581

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Cytogenetics Technologist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	38.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	19.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	13.6%
Master’s degree	8.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Some college courses	3.7%
Doctoral degree	3.4%
Post-doctoral training	1.9%
First professional degree	1.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

How Much Do Cytogenetics Technologist Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Cytogenetics Technologist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,942
4 years	$39,910
5 years	$44,672

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,672 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Cytogenetics Technologist Programs

Online study is tracked by IPEDS for Cytogenetics Technologist. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Cytogenetics Technologist Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Cytogenetics Technologist graduates earn a median of $39,910 four years after completion — roughly 5% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	20,443
Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist	9,347
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist	3,893
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician	3,329
Sterile Processing Technology/Technician	1,964
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other	895
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant	614
Histologic Technician	260
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	241
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist	127

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.