Examines and dissects surgical specimens and performs autopsies under a pathologist's direction so diseases can be diagnosed. BLS does not publish separate figures for medical and clinical laboratory technologists; it counts them within medical and clinical laboratory technologist (SOC 29-2011), whose median pay is $62,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 29-2011
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Pathologists' Assistant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $62,930a year, or $30.26/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $39KTop 10% $101K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 20,800343,000 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025343K
- Projected 2035352.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 343K Projected 2035 352.4K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Some college1.5%
- Associate's32.4%
- Bachelor's52.1%
- Post-bacc certificate14%
Highest education held by medical and clinical laboratory technologists Segment Value Some college 1.5% Associate's 32.4% Bachelor's 52.1% Post-bacc certificate 14%
Also advertised as: Pathologist Assistant, PathA, PA(ASCP), Surgical Pathology Assistant, Autopsy Pathologists' Assistant.
Pay
How much do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists make?
Every pathologists' assistant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$62,930
Middle half earn $47,650 to $81,450
- 10th
- $38,910
- 25th
- $47,650
- 75th
- $81,450
- 90th
- $100,990
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $38,910 |
| 25th | $47,650 |
| Median | $62,930 |
| 75th | $81,450 |
| 90th | $100,990 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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, Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists 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 $102,760, this is 39% 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 37% of the 1,741 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.
Pay by state
Which states pay Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $97,280 | $90,140 | 16,460 |
| 2Oregon | $83,010 | $80,311 | 2,660 |
| 3New Hampshire | $81,020 | $77,780 | 800 |
| 4Massachusetts | $79,120 | $74,813 | 10,850 |
| 5Vermont | $78,680 | $80,320 | 460 |
| 6District of Columbia | $76,560 | $69,663 | 960 |
| 7California | $76,010 | $68,651 | 29,210 |
| 8Rhode Island | $75,780 | $74,091 | 1,060 |
| 9Minnesota | $74,440 | $75,481 | 7,190 |
| 10Washington | $72,760 | $67,992 | 7,430 |
Job outlook
Is Pathologists' Assistant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | +2.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 9,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 20,800 openings are projected each year, 6.1% of the 343,000 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Pathologists' Assistant
According to the American Association of Pathologists' Assistants, there is one route into the field: graduate from a program accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), then pass the ASCP Board of Certification exam to earn the PA(ASCP) credential. Accredited programs are master's degrees that typically take about two years, including clinical rotations in surgical pathology and autopsy.
Applicants need a bachelor's degree with biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology coursework, and programs value shadowing in a gross room. A few states, including Nevada and New York, license pathologists' assistants. Certified PAs maintain their credential through ASCP's continuing education requirements.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as medical and clinical laboratory technologists.
- Bachelor's Degree52.1%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree32.4%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate14%
- Some College Courses1.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 52.1% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 32.4% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 14% |
| Some College Courses | 1.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Pathologists' Assistant do?
Pathologists' assistants handle the gross examination of tissue removed in surgery, from small biopsies to whole organs and amputations. They describe each specimen, measure and photograph it, find tumors and margins, dissect it, and select the tissue sections that will be processed into microscope slides for the pathologist to diagnose. They also prepare frozen sections while a patient is still in surgery.
In hospital and medical examiner settings they perform autopsies: reviewing the clinical history, eviscerating and dissecting organs, collecting samples for toxicology and microbiology, and preparing findings for the pathologist. They often supervise the gross room, manage specimen tracking, and train residents and technicians.
Day-to-day tasks
- Perform gross examination, description, and dissection of surgical specimens
- Select and submit tissue sections for histologic processing
- Prepare frozen sections for intraoperative diagnosis
- Photograph specimens and document findings for the pathology report
- Perform autopsies and collect samples for toxicology and microbiology
- Review clinical history and imaging to guide specimen handling
- Maintain specimen tracking and quality control in the gross room
- Train pathology residents and laboratory staff in grossing technique
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Most pathologists' assistants work in hospital pathology departments, private reference laboratories, academic medical centers, and medical examiner offices. The gross room involves standing at a dissection bench, working with fixatives such as formalin under ventilation, and handling human tissue with strict safety practices. Schedules are mostly daytime, with some evening or weekend frozen-section coverage.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Science4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Active Listening3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Monitoring3.5
- Active Learning3.4
- Writing3.1
- Speaking3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Science | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.5 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Quality Control Analysis3.8
- Operations Monitoring3.6
- Complex Problem Solving3.4
- Operation and Control3.4
- Time Management3.4
- Instructing3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.8 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.6 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.4 |
| Operation and Control | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Pathologists' Assistant?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Pathologists' Assistant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 3 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
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.
- Investigative6.2
- Realistic5.8
- Conventional5.0
- Social2.8
- Enterprising1.5
- Artistic1.1
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Pathologists' Assistant
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist
$62,930median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+2.7%Bachelor's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician
$62,930median a year
Most earn $39K to $101K
+2.7%Bachelor's - Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
Cardiovascular Technologist and Technician
$74,310median a year
Most earn $39K to $121K
+3.7%Associate's
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with medical and clinical laboratory technologists highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Pathologists' Assistant$62,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Pathologists' Assistant | $62,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Pathologists' Assistant appears on
Questions
Pathologists' Assistant: frequently asked questions
How much do Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for medical and clinical laboratory technologists. It counts them within medical and clinical laboratory technologist, whose median pay is $62,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $47,650 and $81,450, and the top 10% earn $100,990 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Pathologists' Assistant?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 52.1% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Pathologists' Assistant a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 20,800 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Pathologists' Assistant do?
Pathologists' assistants handle the gross examination of tissue removed in surgery, from small biopsies to whole organs and amputations. A typical task: perform gross examination, description, and dissection of surgical specimens. Employers most often ask for Medical software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists the most?
The highest state medians for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists are New York ($97,280), Oregon ($83,010), New Hampshire ($81,020) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Pathologists' Assistant?
O*NET scores Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists 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 1,731 careers in the bank.