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Histotechnologist

A program that prepares individuals, at the request of physicians, researchers, and laboratory scientists, to identify tissue structures and cell components and relate these findings to physiological functions and to the detection and diagnosis of diseases and other abnormalities. Includes instruction in medical chemistry, histochemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, medical informatics, applied mathematics, electron microscopy, instrumentation, quality control procedures, data recording and analysis, laboratory administration, medical terminology, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Histotechnologist Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Histotechnologist can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	7
Associate’s Degree	43
Bachelor’s Degree	17
Master’s Degree	37

What Histotechnologist Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Histotechnologist 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

The skill set developed in a Histotechnologist 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

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Histotechnologist 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, Histotechnologist 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 Histotechnologist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite 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	—
Fletcher-Flora Health Care Systems FFlex eSuite LIS	Medical software	—
Seacoast Laboratory Data Systems SurroundLab Plus	Medical software	—
Quality Software Systems LabHealth	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Histotechnologist graduates include:

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

What Can You Do With a Histotechnologist Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Histotechnologist 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 Histotechnologist 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 Histotechnologist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 78.8% of Histotechnologist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	82	78.8%
Men	22	21.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	48	46.2%
Asian	16	15.4%
Hispanic or Latino	16	15.4%
Black or African American	13	12.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	1.0%
Two or More Races	4	3.8%
Race Unknown	2	1.9%
International Students	4	3.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Histotechnologist Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Histotechnologist 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 Histotechnologist Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Histotechnologist. 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 Histotechnologist Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Histotechnologist 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
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.