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Cytotechnology

A program that prepares individuals to work with pathologists to detect changes in body cells that may indicate, and permit diagnosis of, the early development of cancers and other diseases. Includes instruction in biochemistry, microbiology, applied mathematics, microscopy, slide preparation, identification of cellular structures and abnormalities, and laboratory procedures and safety.

Types of Degrees Cytotechnology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Cytotechnology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	6
Associate’s Degree	16
Bachelor’s Degree	26
Master’s Degree	79

What Cytotechnology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Cytotechnology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cytotechnology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

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

• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Cytotechnology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Judgment and Decision Making — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Cytotechnology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cytotechnology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.8 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.7 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.7 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cytotechnology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Laboratory information system LIS	Medical software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Multidata Computer Systems MultiTech	Medical software	—
Cerner Millennium PathNet	Medical software	—
eTeleNext LIS	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cytotechnology graduates include:

• Cytologist
• Medical Technologist (MT)
• Cytology Coordinator
• Cytology Applications Specialist
• Certified Cytotechnologist
• Cytotechnologist
• Cytopathology Technologist
• Cytology Technical Specialist
• Histotechnologist
• Laboratory Specialist (Lab Specialist)
• Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS)
• Flow Cytometry Specialist
• Genetic Technologist
• Clinical Cytogeneticist Scientist (CCS)
• Molecular Genetics Technologist

What Can You Do With a Cytotechnology Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Cytotechnology commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
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
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 Cytotechnology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	49.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	19.2%
Master’s degree	11.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.3%
Doctoral degree	3.8%
Postsecondary certificate	3.4%
Post-doctoral training	2.9%
Some college courses	1.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.0%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cytotechnology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 81.1% of Cytotechnology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	103	81.1%
Men	24	18.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cytotechnology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	72	56.7%
Asian	6	4.7%
Hispanic or Latino	23	18.1%
Black or African American	9	7.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.8%
Two or More Races	5	3.9%
Race Unknown	5	3.9%
International Students	6	4.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cytotechnology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Cytotechnology 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 Cytotechnology Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Cytotechnology. 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
Associate’s	1	0

^{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 Cytotechnology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Cytotechnology 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
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Sterile Processing Technology/Technician	1,964
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other	895
Histologic Technician	260
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	241
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist	104

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.