Also known as medical laboratory scientists, people with the medical technologist salary and job description are usually tasked with collecting samples and performing tests in order to analyze tissue, body fluids, and other such substances. In 2014, about fifty percent of all medical technologists worked in hospitals, while the rest worked in diagnostics labs and doctors’ offices.
Usually working in the part of a hospital rarely seen by patients, medical technologists run tests, process tissue samples, and obtain and provide data and information to patients and doctors. The medical laboratory technologist salary also requires individuals with the profession to diagnose their patients, and then to inform, the physician of the results.
Most people aspiring towards the salary of a medical technologist have to get a degree in medical technology. However, a degree in a different field is sometimes sufficient. College internships are also an important part of the experience, and most employers require plenty of that before hiring someone.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average medical technologist salary reported in 2015 was somewhere around $50,000 per year, or $24.30 per hour. The yearly and hourly salary for medical technologists sorted by percentile can be found the table below:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
| Hourly Wage | $19.96 | $24.56 | $29.09 | $34.99 | $40.53 |
| Annual Wage | $41,510 | $51,080 | $60,520 | $72,780 | $84,300 |
Factors that Influence the Medical Technologist Salary
The medical technologist salary is usually influenced by a wide array of factors. Some of these are more minor, only influencing the paycheck by a few thousand dollars. Others, meanwhile, can create wage differences of more than $50,000. This way, the right combination of the highest influencing factors can lead to the medical technologist salary being wildly different.
Some of the factors with the highest influencing power are the geographic area of the place of employment, the industry of the profession, and the level of experience of each employee. Below, you can find just how much of an impact each of these can make on the medical technologist salary.
Geographic Area
Getting a job in the right geographical location can influence the medical technologist salary by tens of thousands of dollars. Therefore, we compiled a series of tables documenting the states and the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas around USA which provide the highest employment levels and salaries for the profession.
Because of the large amount of data we have to go through, we will only be talking about areas throughout the United States. We will not be approaching the medical technologist salary of the average Canada, UK, or Australia resident, nor that of any other nationality but American.
The states offering the highest levels of employment for people with the medical technologist salary are the following:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Texas | 12,560 | 1.09 | 0.92 | $28.68 | $59,660 |
| California | 10,790 | 0.70 | 0.59 | $39.91 | $83,000 |
| Florida | 10,380 | 1.31 | 1.11 | $29.01 | $60,330 |
| New York | 9,640 | 1.07 | 0.91 | $32.02 | $66,610 |
| Pennsylvania | 7,890 | 1.38 | 1.17 | $28.50 | $59,280 |
Meanwhile, the highest medical technologist salary by state is located in the following locations:
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| California | 10,790 | 0.70 | 0.59 | $39.91 | $83,000 |
| Massachusetts | 5,760 | 1.70 | 1.43 | $34.47 | $71,690 |
| Connecticut | 2,490 | 1.50 | 1.27 | $34.28 | $71,290 |
| District of Columbia | 710 | 1.05 | 0.89 | $33.83 | $70,360 |
| Rhode Island | 570 | 1.20 | 1.02 | $33.49 | $69,660 |
For those interested in more vaguely distributed information, we have also compiled tables of the metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas with the highest salaries and levels of employment for the occupation.
The metropolitan areas with the highest employment levels for individuals with the medical technologist salary are as follows:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| New York – Jersey City – White Plains, NY – NJ Metropolitan Division | 7,600 | 1.17 | 0.99 | $33.36 | $69,380 |
| Boston – Cambridge – Newton, MA NECTA Division | 3,620 | 2.06 | 1.74 | $35.24 | $73,290 |
| Chicago – Naperville – Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division | 3,530 | 0.99 | 0.84 | $29.71 | $61,810 |
| Los Angeles – Long Beach – Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 3,370 | 0.82 | 0.70 | $40.17 | $83,560 |
| Houston – The Woodlands – Sugar Land, TX | 3,330 | 1.14 | 0.96 | $29.89 | $62,160 |
| Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Roswell, GA | 2,830 | 1.14 | 0.96 | $28.68 | $59,660 |
| Baltimore – Columbia – Towson, MD | 2,560 | 1.95 | 1.65 | $27.68 | $57,580 |
| Dallas – Plano – Irving, TX Metropolitan Division | 2,550 | 1.09 | 0.92 | $32.28 | $67,140 |
| Washington – Arlington – Alexandria, DC – VA – MD – WV Metropolitan Division | 2,390 | 0.99 | 0.84 | $32.04 | $66,640 |
| Tampa – St. Petersburg – Clearwater, FL | 2,170 | 1.79 | 1.51 | $29.30 | $60,950 |
The metropolitan areas with the highest salaries for medical technologists are the following:
| Metropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Merced, CA | 30 | 0.53 | 0.45 | $49.03 | $101,980 |
| San Rafael, CA Metropolitan Division | Not released | Not released | Not released | $48.86 | $101,620 |
| Stockton – Lodi, CA | 150 | 0.67 | 0.57 | $45.98 | $95,630 |
| Sacramento – Roseville – Arden – Arcade, CA | 460 | 0.53 | 0.45 | $45.97 | $95,610 |
| San Jose – Sunnyvale – Santa Clara, CA | 730 | 0.72 | 0.61 | $45.17 | $93,960 |
| Santa Cruz – Watsonville, CA | 50 | 0.53 | 0.45 | $44.37 | $92,300 |
| Fresno, CA | 230 | 0.68 | 0.58 | $44.18 | $91,890 |
| Chico, CA | 60 | 0.87 | 0.74 | $44.02 | $91,570 |
| Visalia – Porterville, CA | Not released | Not released | Not released | $43.91 | $91,340 |
| Salinas, CA | 50 | 0.29 | 0.25 | $43.36 | $90,190 |
The nonmetropolitan areas with the highest medical technologist levels of employment are:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | 450 | 2.21 | 1.87 | $28.51 | $59,310 |
| Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 270 | 0.97 | 0.82 | $26.06 | $54,200 |
| Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 250 | 2.19 | 1.86 | $24.53 | $51,020 |
| South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 240 | 1.30 | 1.10 | $24.98 | $51,950 |
| Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 1.20 | 1.01 | $27.99 | $58,220 |
Last, but certainly not least, the nonmetropolitan areas with the highest medical technologist salary are as follows:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.99 | 0.84 | $44.31 | $92,160 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.71 | 0.60 | $41.18 | $85,650 |
| Southwest Washington nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.88 | 0.75 | $35.26 | $73,340 |
| North Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.93 | 0.79 | $33.86 | $70,430 |
| Eastern Oregon nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.82 | 0.69 | $33.49 | $69,660 |
Experience
The level of experience of each employee doesn’t change the medical technologist salary by too much. It certainly isn’t as big an influence as the geographic location of the place of employment. In fact, after a career longer than twenty years, the medical technologist salary doesn’t grow by more than $13,000.
According to payscale.com, the average medical technologist starting salary is somewhere around $46,000. This is without taking into account any bonuses, overtimes, commissions, or any other such extra sources of income. Over the course of one’s career, the average medical technologist salary takes the following path:
- From $46,000 to $51,000 after five to ten years on the job;
- Between $51,000 and $55,000 after ten to twenty years on the job;
- From $55,000 to $59,000 after more than twenty years of experience.
Industry
The industry in which a medical lab scientist works does account for a difference of more than $10,000 a year. Still, it’s not as influencing a factor on the medical technologist salary as the geographic area of the workplace.
For example, the certified ophthalmic, nuclear, or clinical medical technologist salary will be different than the supervisor or senior radiologic, ultrasound, diagnostic, or imaging medical technologist salary. Naturally, extra stress factors, such as constant exposure to radiation, usually lead to bonuses and a slightly higher pay grade.
Those interested in attempting to get a job more quickly might benefit from this table. It presents the five industries with the highest levels of employment for people with the medical technologist salary:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 92,460 | 1.75 | $30.20 | $62,820 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | 29,040 | 11.39 | $30.06 | $62,530 |
| Offices of Physicians | 12,500 | 0.50 | $28.45 | $59,170 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 6,320 | 0.21 | $26.80 | $55,740 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 5,070 | 0.26 | $31.16 | $64,820 |
Finally, the industries which offer the highest salaries are as follows:
| Industry | Employment | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 420 | 0.03 | $33.65 | $69,990 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 90 | 0.03 | $33.01 | $68,670 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 270 | 0.01 | $32.74 | $68,100 |
| Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals | 2,690 | 1.08 | $31.66 | $65,860 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 5,070 | 0.26 | $31.16 | $64,820 |
Work Hours
The average work week for someone with the medical technologist salary is somewhere around 40 to 45 hours long. However, since medical labs are mostly open 24/7, their schedules can very well include shifts. So, medical technologists do have work days which are eight or nine hours long. However, these hours can be distributed throughout the day.
Meanwhile, overtimes are still a thing for people with the medical technologist salary and job description. Depending on several factors, overtimes can be paid with anywhere between $11 and $46 an hour. The easy schedule is yet another factor which contributes to the profession’s optimistic job outlook.
Bonuses and Benefits Packages
An average medical technologist salary is usually joined by different bonuses, profit sharing, overtimes, and sometimes even tips. Bonuses can be as high as $1000 a year. Meanwhile, profit sharing can be paid anything between $250 and $6,800 a year. This adds even more to the already decent medical technologist salary.
Like with most jobs in healthcare, the medical technologist job description comes with plenty of benefits packages. Other than a decent 401(K) and a sufficient number of paid and sick leave days, medical technologists also get insurance. About 83% get medical insurance, 71% get dental, and 58% get vision. Meanwhile, 14% get no insurance whatsoever.
Job Outlook
According to bls.com estimates, the rate of employment for the profession will go up 16% by 2024. That is much higher than the 8% average for all the professions in the United States. The main reason for this is the constant increase of the elderly population. This is because they need to be diagnosed more than any other population segment.
Having one of the most sought-after jobs in healthcare, medical technologists also benefit from having relatively high salaries. The medical technologist salary is certainly a determinant for the highly optimistic job outlook. Plus, the profession is vital enough not to be threatened by the constant advances in technology.
All of the tables in this article about the American medical technologist salary were provided courtesy of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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