State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Histotechnologist Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Histotechnologists earn a median of $62,930 per year ($30.26/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 1.7% through 2034, with about 22,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 29-2011Healthcare Practitioners and TechnicalLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $62,930
- Projected growth
- +1.7%
- Openings a year
- 22,600
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Clinical Lab Manager (Clinical Laboratory Manager), Histology Lab Manager (Histology Laboratory Manager), Histology Specialist, Histology Technologist, Histotechnologist.
How much do Histotechnologists make?
10th percentile$38,910
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$47,650
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$62,930
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$81,450
Upper quartile
90th percentile$100,990
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $62,930 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $30.26/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $67,350 |
| People employed | 332,940 |
Versus all US occupations
At $62,930, Histotechnologists earn 23% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $11,950 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $97,870, this is 36% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $100,990 or more while the bottom 10% earn $38,910, a gap of 2.6×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 47% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $97,280, and still leads at $90,140 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Histotechnologists the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $97,280 | $90,140 | 16,460 |
| Oregon | $83,010 | $80,311 | 2,660 |
| New Hampshire | $81,020 | $77,780 | 800 |
| Massachusetts | $79,120 | $74,813 | 10,850 |
| Vermont | $78,680 | $80,320 | 460 |
| District of Columbia | $76,560 | $69,663 | 960 |
| California | $76,010 | $68,651 | 29,210 |
| Rhode Island | $75,780 | $74,091 | 1,060 |
| Minnesota | $74,440 | $75,481 | 7,190 |
| Washington | $72,760 | $67,992 | 7,430 |
Is Histotechnologist a growing career?
Histotechnologists1.7%
All US occupations3.1%
+1.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Slower than average
BLS projects employment of Histotechnologists to change 1.7% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 6,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 22,600 openings are projected each year, 6.4% of the 351,200 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Despite limited employment growth, about 22,600 openings for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
An increase in the population of older adults is expected to lead to a greater need for diagnosing medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes, through laboratory procedures. Genetic testing also is being increasingly used to aid the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians will be in demand to perform these laboratory tests and procedures. However, the increasing automation of laboratory workflows may dampen employment demand.
How to become a Histotechnologist
HTL(ASCP) is the credential, and a bachelor's degree is required on every route to it, which is the clean line between the histotechnologist and the histotechnician. The fastest way in for someone already working is the bridge route: a valid HT(ASCP) certification plus a baccalaureate degree plus 6 months of full-time histopathology laboratory experience, with no science-credit requirement at all. HTL programmes are scarce, with 12 accredited by NAACLS in 2025 against 39 at HT level.
The credential path, step by step
- Know what the credential is actually claiming
The Board of Certification describes the histotechnologist as performing both routine and complex histologic techniques such as enzyme histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence, and as knowledgeable in pathology, management, education and the regulations that affect histotechnology. The experience checklist is the same as the histotechnician's with immunohistochemistry added, which is the practical difference in one line.
- Route 1: bachelor's degree plus an accredited programme
A baccalaureate degree with a combination of 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) across biology and chemistry, with credit in both, obtained within or in addition to the degree, plus successful completion of a NAACLS-accredited histotechnician or histotechnology programme within the last 5 years. Note that an HT-level programme qualifies you for the HTL examination provided the degree and the 30 science hours are in place.
- Route 2: bachelor's degree plus experience
A baccalaureate degree with a major in biological science or chemistry, or with 30 semester hours across biology and chemistry, plus 1 year of full-time acceptable clinical experience in a histopathology laboratory within the last 5 years, or the equivalent veterinary, industry or research experience in the US or Canada, or the same 9-month structured programme with at least 480 clinical hours that the HT route accepts.
- Route 3: the bridge from HT, which is by far the shortest
A valid HT(ASCP) certification plus a baccalaureate degree in any subject plus 6 months of full-time acceptable clinical experience in a histopathology laboratory within the last 5 years. This route carries no science-credit requirement, which makes finishing any bachelor's degree the single highest-leverage step for a working histotechnician.
- Pass the HTL(ASCP) examination
Computer adaptive, 100 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes at Pearson VUE, scored 100 to 999 with 400 to pass. Application fee $260.
Exams you have to pass
Technologist in Histotechnology, HTL(ASCP) (HTL(ASCP))
Computer adaptive examination, 100 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes, scored 100 to 999 with 400 to pass. Application fee $260. Four domestic routes, all requiring a baccalaureate degree: an accredited HT or HTL programme within 5 years plus 30 semester hours of biology and chemistry; a science major or 30 science hours plus a year of histopathology experience; a valid HT(ASCP) plus 6 months of experience; or 30 science hours plus a 50-week US military histotechnician course within 10 years.
Administered by ASCP Board of Certification, delivered at Pearson VUE.
- Program accreditation
NAACLS · National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
NAACLS accredits both histotechnician and histotechnology programmes, and either satisfies Route 1 for the HTL examination when paired with a baccalaureate degree and 30 semester hours of biology and chemistry. The supply is thin: 12 accredited HTL programmes in 2025.
- How long the training takes
A baccalaureate degree is required on every route. Beyond that, Route 1 adds a NAACLS-accredited programme of variable length, Route 2 adds a year of full-time laboratory experience, and Route 3 adds only 6 months of experience on top of an existing HT(ASCP) certification.
- Continuing education
Required to stay credentialed
The ASCP Credential Maintenance Program applies to anyone certified on or after 1 January 2004 and runs on a three-year cycle. HTL requires 36 points: 8 in histology, 1 in laboratory or patient safety, 1 in medical ethics and 26 in related laboratory, management or education areas. The application fee is $110, and a lapsed credential adds a $135 reinstatement fee.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
Most states license no laboratory personnel. Of the 11 jurisdictions the ASCP BOC lists (California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Puerto Rico), New York licenses histotechnologists under Subpart 79-21 with routes including a current HTL(ASCP) or HTL(ASCPi), a Nevada Histotechnologist licence, a NAACLS-accredited bachelor's-or-higher histotechnology programme, or a natural or clinical laboratory science bachelor's plus two years of full-time experience while certified as a New York histotechnician, a West Virginia Histologist or an HT(ASCP). Florida licenses histology technologists, accepting HTL(ASCP), or HT(ASCP) with the qualification in immunohistochemistry, or an associate degree plus a NAACLS programme plus HT(ASCP). Nevada licenses the title Histotechnologist. California has no histotechnology category at all.
Who governs the credential
- ASCP Board of Certification (ASCP BOC) — Awards the HTL(ASCP) credential and sets its four eligibility routes, including the HT-to-HTL bridge.
- New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions — Licenses histotechnologists in New York as a separate profession from histotechnicians, with its own subpart of the regulations and its own fee.
Credential detail for histotechnologists is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- ASCP Board of Certification: Technologist in Histotechnology, HTL (eligibility routes and fees) · checked August 23, 2026
- ASCP Board of Certification: About the examination (adaptive format, scoring) · checked August 23, 2026
- ASCP Board of Certification: HTL Credential Maintenance Program requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- ASCP Board of Certification: State licensure · checked August 23, 2026
- NAACLS Annual Report 2025 (accredited programme counts) · checked August 23, 2026
- New York State Education Department: Histotechnologist licensure requirements · checked August 23, 2026
- Florida Administrative Code 64B3-5.003 (clinical laboratory technologist licensure) · checked August 23, 2026
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. Technicians sometimes qualify for jobs with an associate’s degree. Some states require technologists and technicians to be licensed. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have certification.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as histotechnologists.
- Bachelor's Degree42.9%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)19.1%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.3%
- Master's Degree9.5%
- High School Diploma4.8%
What does a Histotechnologist do?
Apply knowledge of health and disease causes to evaluate new laboratory techniques and procedures to examine tissue samples. Process and prepare histological slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists. May solve technical or instrument problems or assist with research studies.
Clinical laboratory technologists (also known as medical laboratory scientists) and clinical laboratory technicians (also known as medical laboratory technicians) perform medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
Day-to-day tasks
- Embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax.
- Cut sections of body tissues for microscopic examination, using microtomes.
- Stain tissue specimens with dyes or other chemicals to make cell details visible under microscopes.
- Compile materials for distribution to pathologists, such as surgical working drafts, requisitions, and slides.
- Compile and maintain records of preventive maintenance and instrument performance checks according to schedule and regulations.
- Operate computerized laboratory equipment to dehydrate, decalcify, or microincinerate tissue samples.
- Prepare substances, such as reagents and dilution, and stains for histological specimens according to protocols.
- Resolve problems with laboratory equipment and instruments, such as microscopes, mass spectrometers, microtomes, immunostainers, tissue processors, embedding centers, and water baths.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most clinical laboratory technologists and technicians work full time. Because they may work in medical facilities that are always open, such as hospitals, they may have shifts that include nights, weekends, or holidays.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
- Mistakes carry very serious consequences
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where histotechnologists work
| General medical and surgical hospitals; private | 37% |
|---|---|
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 20% |
| Offices of physicians | 10% |
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 5% |
| Other ambulatory healthcare services | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.5/5
- Critical Thinking3.4/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
- Active Listening3.3/5
- Speaking3.3/5
- Active Learning3.3/5
- Writing3.1/5
- Science3.0/5
Transferable skills
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.3/5
- Operations Monitoring3.3/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.9/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.8/5
- Systems Evaluation2.8/5
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Label making software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Histotechnologist?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary5.7
Investigativeprimary6.6
Artistic1.3
Social2.9
Enterprising1.1
Conventionalprimary5.2
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Histotechnologist: frequently asked questions
How much do Histotechnologists make?
Histotechnologists earn a median of $62,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 23% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $30.26/hr. The middle half earn between $47,650 and $81,450. The top 10% earn $100,990 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Histotechnologist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Histotechnologists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 42.9% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Histotechnologist a growing career?
It is growing, but slowly: 1.7% over 2024–2034 against 3.1% for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 22,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Histotechnologist do?
Clinical laboratory technologists (also known as medical laboratory scientists) and clinical laboratory technicians (also known as medical laboratory technicians) perform medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. A core O*NET task: embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Histotechnologists the most?
The highest state medians for Histotechnologists are New York ($97,280), Oregon ($83,010), New Hampshire ($81,020) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Histotechnologist?
O*NET scores Histotechnologists highest on the Investigative, Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Histotechnologist?
A baccalaureate degree is required on every route. Beyond that, Route 1 adds a NAACLS-accredited programme of variable length, Route 2 adds a year of full-time laboratory experience, and Route 3 adds only 6 months of experience on top of an existing HT(ASCP) certification.
Do you need a license to work as a Histotechnologist?
Not a state license. Most states license no laboratory personnel. Of the 11 jurisdictions the ASCP BOC lists (California, Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia and Puerto Rico), New York licenses histotechnologists under Subpart 79-21 with routes including a current HTL(ASCP) or HTL(ASCPi), a Nevada Histotechnologist licence, a NAACLS-accredited bachelor's-or-higher histotechnology programme, or a natural or clinical laboratory science bachelor's plus two years of full-time experience while certified as a New York histotechnician, a West Virginia Histologist or an HT(ASCP). Florida licenses histology technologists, accepting HTL(ASCP), or HT(ASCP) with the qualification in immunohistochemistry, or an associate degree plus a NAACLS programme plus HT(ASCP). Nevada licenses the title Histotechnologist. California has no histotechnology category at all.
What exams and certifications apply to a Histotechnologist?
The HTL(ASCP) (Technologist in Histotechnology, HTL(ASCP)). Computer adaptive examination, 100 questions in 2 hours 30 minutes, scored 100 to 999 with 400 to pass. Application fee $260. Four domestic routes, all requiring a baccalaureate degree: an accredited HT or HTL programme within 5 years plus 30 semester hours of biology and chemistry; a science major or 30 science hours plus a year of histopathology experience; a valid HT(ASCP) plus 6 months of experience; or 30 science hours plus a 50-week US military histotechnician course within 10 years.