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Renal/Dialysis Technician

A program that prepares individuals to administer hemodialysis treatments to patients with renal failure under the supervision of a nurse or physician. Includes instruction in basic anatomy and physiology, dialysis prescription interpretation, dialysite preparation, extracorporeal circuit and dialyzer set-up and maintenance, equipment monitoring, patient preparation, taking vital signs, documentation and communication, venipuncture and local anesthesia administration, emergency intervention, safety and sanitation, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Renal/Dialysis Technician Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Renal/Dialysis Technician can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	28
Master’s Degree	75

What Renal/Dialysis Technician Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Renal/Dialysis Technician emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills built by a Renal/Dialysis Technician program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Renal/Dialysis Technician careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Renal/Dialysis Technician graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.4 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Renal/Dialysis Technician professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Medical procedure coding software	Medical software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Renal/Dialysis Technician graduates include:

• Medical Technologist
• Polysomnographic Technologist
• Patient Resource Coordinator
• Patient Ombudsperson
• Healthcare Registrar
• Patient Registration Representative
• Care Navigator
• Patient Services Coordinator
• Patient Account Representative
• PCT (Patient Care Technician)
• Patient Care Representative (Patient Care Rep)
• Patient Advocate
• Admitting Representative
• Clinical Liaison
• PCA (Patient Care Associate)

What Can You Do With a Renal/Dialysis Technician Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Renal/Dialysis Technician commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

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

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Renal/Dialysis Technician graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	19.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	19.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	16.8%
Bachelor’s degree	15.0%
Master’s degree	13.6%
Some college courses	7.4%
Doctoral degree	3.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	3.1%
Post-doctoral training	2.7%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Renal/Dialysis Technician?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 90.3% of Renal/Dialysis Technician degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	93	90.3%
Men	10	9.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Renal/Dialysis Technician graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	16	15.5%
Asian	15	14.6%
Hispanic or Latino	13	12.6%
Black or African American	50	48.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	2	1.9%
Two or More Races	3	2.9%
International Students	4	3.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Renal/Dialysis Technician Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Renal/Dialysis Technician 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.}

Is a Degree in Renal/Dialysis Technician Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Renal/Dialysis Technician 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
Medical Radiologic Technology/Science - Radiation Therapist	4,111
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
Electroneurodiagnostic/Electroencephalographic Technology/Technologist	374
Histologic Technician	260
Polysomnography	256
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	241

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.