The median annual wage of medical laboratory technologists was $56,130 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned more than $38,810, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $76,780.
The median annual wages in selected industries employing medical laboratory technologists in May 2010 were as follows:
| Federal government | $62,880 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 56,470 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 55,930 |
| Offices of physicians | 52,250 |
The median annual wage of medical laboratory technicians was $36,280 in May 2010. The lowest 10 percent earned more than $24,210, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $56,040.
The median annual wages in selected industries employing medical laboratory technicians in May 2010 were as follows:
| Federal government | $40,180 |
| Hospitals; state, local, and private | 37,130 |
| Offices of physicians | 35,790 |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 34,280 |
According to the American Society for Clinical Pathology, the median hourly wages of staff clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in various specialties and in different types of laboratories in 2010 were as follows:
| Specialty | Hospital | Private Clinic | Physician's Office | Reference Lab | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Laboratory Scientist/Medical Technologist | $28.62 | $27.36 | $25.26 | $30.56 | $28.64 |
| Medical Laboratory Technician | $21.02 | $18.84 | $18.94 | $21.62 | $20.66 |
| Phlebotomy Technician | $13.50 | $15.90 | $13.00 | $20.16 | $14.52 |
| Histotechnologist | $28.66 | $25.00 | $29.14 | $30.10 | $28.94 |
| Histotechnician | $24.16 | $23.74 | $27.82 | $26.62 | $24.78 |
| Cytotechnologist | $31.02 | $33.10 | $39.00 | $31.34 | $31.14 |
Most medical laboratory technologists and technicians work full time. Technologists and technicians who work in facilities that operate around the clock, such as hospitals and some independent laboratories, may work evening, weekend, or overnight hours.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition