Health Professions and Related Programs
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions
Colleges award this field under 13 named programs, from Blood Bank Technology Specialist to Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other.
Inside the major
Programs within this field
Colleges may offer this field under 13 more specific program names. The program you choose affects the courses you take.
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist
- Prepares you to perform routine and specialized blood testing procedures, collect and process blood donations, and support physicians and other clinicians administering transfusion therapy. Covers basic cellular biology, immunohematology, blood bank procedures, blood typing, antigen and antibody identification tests, hemolytic and transfusion responses and diseases, donor selection, blood drawing and storage, blood separation, viral marker testing, laboratory and personnel supervision, safety and sterilization, and applicable laws and regulations.
- Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist
- Prepares you 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. Covers biochemistry, microbiology, applied mathematics, microscopy, slide preparation, identification of cellular structures and abnormalities, and laboratory procedures and safety.
- Hematology Technology/Technician
- Prepares individuals, under the supervision of clinical laboratory scientists and health care professionals, to perform tests and analyses of blood samples. Covers clinical laboratory procedures; blood anatomy and physiology; cellular and molecular biology; blood pathology and disease indicators; quantitative, qualitative, and coagulation testing methodologies; equipment operation and maintenance; and record-keeping.
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician
- Prepares individuals, under the supervision of clinical laboratory scientists/medical technologists, to perform routine medical laboratory procedures and tests and to apply preset strategies to record and analyze data. Covers general laboratory procedures and skills; laboratory mathematics; medical computer applications; interpersonal and communications skills; and the basic principles of hematology, medical microbiology, immunohematology, immunology, clinical chemistry, and urinalysis.
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist
- Prepares you to conduct and supervise complex medical tests, clinical trials, and research experiments; manage clinical laboratories; and consult with physicians and clinical researchers on diagnoses, disease causation and spread, and research outcomes. Covers the theory and practice of hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, immunology, immunohematology, physiological relationships to test results, laboratory procedures and quality assurance controls, test and research design and implementation, analytic techniques, laboratory management, data development and reporting, medical informatics, and professional standards and regulations.
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician
- Prepares individuals, under the supervision of ophthalmologists and optometrists, to cut, grind, edge, and finish corrective lenses and to fabricate eyewear. Covers optical theory, applied mathematics, lens surfacing and finishing, tinting and coating, impact resistance treatment and testing, frame construction and repair, prescription interpretation, equipment operation and maintenance, follow-up adjustment, record-keeping, and laboratory safety procedures.
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist
- 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. Covers 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.
- Histologic Technician
- Prepares individuals, under the supervision of histotechnologists and other clinical laboratory scientists, to prepare and process tissue samples and perform routine histologic procedures and tests. Covers fixation, dehydration, embedding, sectioning, decalcification, microincineration, mounting, routine and special steaming, laboratory mathematics, laboratory procedures and safety, instrumentation and microscopy, computer applications, preparation of museum specimens, and recording and administrative procedures.
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist
- Prepares individuals, under the supervision of physicians and other health care professionals, to draw blood samples from patients using a variety of intrusive procedures. Covers basic vascular anatomy and physiology, blood physiology, skin puncture techniques, venipuncture, venous specimen collection and handling, safety and sanitation procedures, and applicable standards and regulations.
- Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist
- Prepares you to perform analyses of the human genome and chromosomes for the research and diagnosis of genetic diseases and defects, in preparation for organ transplants, and in support of treatments for cancers and leukemias. Covers chromosome analysis, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), molecular genetic techniques, cytotechnology, and photomicrography.
Where it can lead
Careers this field can lead to
Explore related careers, starting with the closest connections and the occupations hiring the most people.
Growing fast
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
- Median pay
- $107,310
- Hiring change through 2035
- 17.9%
- Job openings a year
- 24,900
To get hiredDoctoral or professional degree
Explore this career GrowingPhlebotomists
- Median pay
- $45,230
- Hiring change through 2035
- 6.8%
- Job openings a year
- 18,000
To get hiredPostsecondary nondegree award
Explore this career GrowingHealth Technologists and Technicians, All Other
- Median pay
- $50,290
- Hiring change through 2035
- 5.9%
- Job openings a year
- 12,400
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Explore this career Growing fastMedical Equipment Preparers
- Median pay
- $47,700
- Hiring change through 2035
- 10.8%
- Job openings a year
- 10,700
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this career GrowingSurgical Technologists
- Median pay
- $64,650
- Hiring change through 2035
- 5.0%
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- 7,100
To get hiredPostsecondary nondegree award
Explore this career Growing with the economyOphthalmic Laboratory Technicians
- Median pay
- $39,460
- Hiring change through 2035
- 2.2%
- Job openings a year
- 2,200
To get hiredHigh school diploma or equivalent
Explore this careerAll work is projected to grow 3.5% between 2025 and 2035; read every hiring-change figure against it. The figures beside each career are the pay of that work, across everyone doing it. Graduates of this field earn $55,702 one year after completing the program, which is the start of a career rather than the shape of one.
Working style
How and where the work happens
Related careers can feel very different from one another. Compare the specific occupations to understand the work each one involves.
48%of related openings involve substantial in-person or active work
This field leads to a mix of in-person and computer-based work. About 48 of every 100 openings require working close to other people or spending time on your feet.
College options
Where to study it
Ordered by how many degrees each college awards in this field. Sort by any numbered column.
| College | Degrees a year | Earnings, first year out | Admit rate | Average annual cost after aid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI | 163 | $57,575 | 88% | $12,000 |
| University of Cincinnati-Main Campus OH | 152 | $58,703 | 88% | $22,000 |
| Cleveland State University OH | 142 | $31,821 | 95% | $15,000 |
| Michigan State University MI | 68 | $36,358 | 84% | $17,000 |
| Winston-Salem State University NC | 54 | $51,993 | 69% | $15,000 |
| Austin Peay State University TN | 49 | $58,494 | 96% | $10,000 |
| University of Kentucky KY | 46 | $52,351 | 92% | $16,000 |
| CUNY Hunter College NY | 45 | $59,118 | 54% | $6,000 |
| California State University-Dominguez Hills CA | 44 | $23,965 | 91% | $9,000 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University VA | 44 | $54,497 | 93% | $21,000 |
| Northern Michigan University MI | 36 | $48,424 | 70% | $11,000 |
| University of North Dakota ND | 36 | $59,202 | 77% | $15,000 |
| Stony Brook University NY | 35 | $78,983 | 49% | $21,000 |
| University of West Florida FL | 34 | $51,104 | 57% | $8,000 |
| CUNY York College NY | 34 | $73,775 | 59% | $7,000 |
| Oregon Institute of Technology OR | 34 | $64,721 | 92% | $14,000 |
| Brigham Young University UT | 34 | $54,931 | 69% | $13,000 |
| Illinois State University IL | 33 | $51,027 | 89% | $16,000 |
| University of Utah UT | 30 | $59,770 | 87% | $14,000 |
| University of Massachusetts-Lowell MA | 29 | $56,907 | 85% | $12,000 |
| Saint Louis University MO | 29 | $34,985 | 81% | $22,000 |
| The University of Texas at El Paso TX | 29 | $47,227 | 100% | $10,000 |
| University of Central Florida FL | 28 | $55,221 | 40% | $10,000 |
| Tarleton State University TX | 28 | $55,500 | 94% | $20,000 |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus WA | 28 | $66,369 | 43% | $8,000 |
| Rutgers University-New Brunswick NJ | 27 | $64,307 | 65% | $18,000 |
| South Dakota State University SD | 27 | $54,985 | 99% | $18,000 |
| Georgia Southern University GA | 26 | $52,451 | 90% | $15,000 |
| Oakland University MI | 26 | — | 70% | $7,000 |
| University of Idaho ID | 25 | — | 79% | $13,000 |
| Saint Cloud State University MN | 25 | $65,397 | 95% | $12,000 |
| Ohio State University-Main Campus OH | 25 | $56,258 | 51% | $10,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-La Crosse WI | 25 | $56,576 | 73% | $11,000 |
| St. Joseph's University-New York NY | 23 | — | 71% | $17,000 |
| University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point WI | 23 | $53,058 | 90% | $11,000 |
| University of Delaware DE | 22 | $61,520 | 65% | $13,000 |
| University of Kansas KS | 22 | — | 88% | $15,000 |
| University of Louisiana at Monroe LA | 22 | $55,176 | 75% | $13,000 |
| Farmingdale State College NY | 22 | $74,532 | 69% | $12,000 |
| Auburn University AL | 21 | — | 50% | $21,000 |