What is a medical laboratory technician and how to become one

Q: Do medical lab technicians make good money?

Yes, medical lab technicians make good money. Medical lab technicians earn an annual salary of approximately $47,000. Several factors can raise this average by as much as 50%. An experienced medical lab technician has the potential to earn well over the national average. Technicians with more than nine or more years of experience working for even the smallest companies, fewer than 50 employees, will earn nearly $10,000 over the national average.

Q: How long does it take to become a medical laboratory technician?

It takes an average of two years to become a medical laboratory technician. Technicians are required to hold both a minimum college degree and have a specific certification. Many medical lab technology programs result in an associate's degree and require a minimum of a two-year program. It is possible to complete the coursework in as little as 75 weeks without earning a degree. These shorter programs strongly encourage multiple certifications in lack of a degree.

Q: How long does it take to become a medical technician?

It takes an average of two years to become a medical laboratory technician. Technicians are required to hold both a minimum degree and have a specific certification. Many medical lab technology programs result in an associate's degree and require participation in a two-year program. It is possible to complete the coursework in as little as 75 weeks without earning a degree. These shorter programs strongly encourage multiple certifications in lack of a degree.

Q: Is being a medical lab technician a good career?

Yes, being a medical lab technician is a good career. Medical lab technicians earn an average salary of $47,000 per year and have the opportunity to work in many diverse types of lab environments.

Q: What qualifications do you need to be a lab technician?

Qualifications you need to be a lab technician include degrees, certification, and in some cases, licensure. Completing an accredited medical laboratory technician degree program is required. Candidates can find MLT programs at four-year institutions and community colleges. This is a two-year associate's degree in the field of medical lab technology. Some schools offer accelerated programs that can be completed in 65 to 75 weeks.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted Expert

Benjamin Ford

A medical laboratory technician works in a clinical laboratory and performs tasks related to testing and analysis. They collect, process, and analyze samples of bodily fluids and tissues, such as blood, urine, and biopsies. Medical laboratory technicians use equipment and technology to perform tests that help diagnose diseases and monitor patient health. They follow strict protocols and procedures for accuracy and safety. The work of a medical laboratory technician aids in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

What general advice would you give to a Medical Laboratory Technician?

Benjamin Ford

Professor and Chair, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Students graduating this year have come through a life-changing year. I'd encourage them to embrace that change. Rather than putting this year behind them and moving on, I'd like graduates to reflect on what worked and didn't work in the past year, and use that reflection to improve themselves and the world. This could be as simple as continuing to hone the time management skills we were all forced to develop, or as large as working to dismantle one of the structural inequalities that became glaringly apparent as nations struggled with health and economy.

ScoreMedical Laboratory TechnicianUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,780

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

6.6

Growth Rate 16%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

9.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%

Asian 11.93%

Black or African American 11.60%

Hispanic or Latino 16.89%

Unknown 5.10%

White 53.68%

Gender

female 70.75%

male 29.25%

Age - 44

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 44

Stress Level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.7

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

8.7

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a Medical Laboratory Technician?

Pros

High demand for skilled professionals
Hands-on work with samples and specimens
Good salary and benefits package
Flexible work schedules available
Opportunities for remote work or telecommuting

Cons

Repetitive tasks and long hours spent on your feet
Continuing education and certification requirements for career advancement
Limited job prospects in certain geographic areas
Potential for workplace politics and conflicts with other staff members
Limited opportunities for creativity or independent work.

Key steps to become a medical laboratory technician

Explore medical laboratory technician education requirements

Most common medical laboratory technician degrees

Associate

54.6 %

Bachelor's

32.4 %

Master's

3.7 %

Start to develop specific medical laboratory technician skills

Skills	Percentages
Medical Laboratory	10.45%
Patients	9.88%
ASCP	8.85%
Clinical Laboratory	7.82%
MLT	6.22%

Complete relevant medical laboratory technician training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New medical laboratory technicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a medical laboratory technician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real medical laboratory technician resumes.

Research medical laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Assist in managing office functions through strong knowledge of PACS, Fuji CR, and EMR systems.
Accomplish constant multitasking between phlebotomy, reception and lab on a daily basis while providing outstanding customer communication skills.
Conduct clinical diagnostic laboratory tests and specimen analysis in hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, serology and immunology.
Experience in the areas of chemistry, hematology, serology, urinalysis, coagulation and microbiology specimen preparation.

Prepare your medical laboratory technician resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your medical laboratory technician resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a medical laboratory technician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Medical Laboratory Technician Resume templates

Build a professional Medical Laboratory Technician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Medical Laboratory Technician resume.

Apply for medical laboratory technician jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a medical laboratory technician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average medical laboratory technician salary

The average Medical Laboratory Technician salary in the United States is $51,780 per year or $25 per hour. Medical laboratory technician salaries range between $37,000 and $71,000 per year.

Average Medical Laboratory Technician Salary

$51,780 Yearly

$24.89 hourly

How do medical laboratory technicians rate their job?

3.33/5

Out of 3 Medical Laboratory Technician reviews, 33% were positive.

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

Based On 3 Ratings

Pay / Salary

3.0

Overall Rating

3.3

Work/Life Balance

1.0

Career Growth

3.0

Medical Laboratory Technician reviews

3.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2024

Pros

I get to do what I love and not have to deal with patients.

Cons

I work late hours and rarely have free time for friends and family.

A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2022

Pros

I like working in the Microbiology and Virology area. I have 35 years experience in those areas

Cons

I really like everything about being a Medical Technologist. Is a great profession

3.0

A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020

Pros

I like the work. Chemistry . Serology . Micro . Blood Bank

Cons

Low pay ..No Respect

Medical Laboratory Technician FAQs

What is a medical laboratory technician and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a Medical Laboratory Technician?

What are the pros and cons of being a Medical Laboratory Technician?

Medical Laboratory Technician career paths

Key steps to become a medical laboratory technician

Explore medical laboratory technician education requirements

Most common medical laboratory technician degrees

Start to develop specific medical laboratory technician skills

Complete relevant medical laboratory technician training and internships

Research medical laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Prepare your medical laboratory technician resume

Choose From 10+ Customizable Medical Laboratory Technician Resume templates

Apply for medical laboratory technician jobs

How Did You Land Your First Medical Laboratory Technician Job

Average medical laboratory technician salary

How do medical laboratory technicians rate their job?

Medical Laboratory Technician reviews

Medical Laboratory Technician FAQs

Do medical lab technicians make good money?

How long does it take to become a medical laboratory technician?

How long does it take to become a medical technician?

Is being a medical lab technician a good career?

What qualifications do you need to be a lab technician?

Search for medical laboratory technician jobs

Medical Laboratory Technician jobs by state