Medical and clinical laboratory scientists (also known as clinical laboratory technologists) are crucial to the healthcare industry. Salaries for these in-demand positions keep pace with the national mean salary for all occupations which was $61,900 according to the BLS in May 2022).
Pay rates depend on factors such as the cost of living in a particular area, places of employment, or types of specialization. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2022) shows that the median salary for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is $59,130. In the same year, the vast majority (44 percent) of medical laboratory scientists were employed in general and surgical hospitals with the second-highest employer being medical and diagnostic laboratories at 21 percent.
To compare the cost of living data, the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC 2023) provides a cost of living data series that can be useful in helping determine competitive salary information as well as living expenses for a particular area in the United States.
To further illustrate the complete earnings spectrum for these positions, the BLS (May 2022) breaks down the salary percentiles for the 333,600 employed medical and clinical laboratory scientists as follows:
- Average annual salary: $59,130
- 10th percentile: $35,220
- 25th percentile: $40,440
- 50th percentile: $57,380
- 75th percentile: $74,920
- 90th percentile: $84,670
Unlike clinical positions which require many years of education, becoming a medical and clinical laboratory scientist requires a four-year bachelor’s degree in medical technology or life science. Two-year programs are available to those with bachelor’s degrees in non-science disciplines. Most programs emphasize didactic coursework and hands-on experience. Laboratory safety is an essential component of any laboratory degree program and often includes theoretical and practical knowledge learning opportunities.
With so many schools available, how can prospective students and employers verify educational quality? The answer is accreditation, which can be sorted into two types: programmatic and institutional.
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) is the premier agency for international programmatic accreditation of educational programs in clinical laboratory sciences. When hiring, it’s not uncommon for medical laboratories to seek out candidates who have graduated from NAACLS-accredited clinical laboratory science programs. As well, institutional accreditation is awarded to institutions by the following six organizations which are approved by the US Department of Education:
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
- New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
- Commission on Colleges for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)
Prospective students are highly advised to invest their time and tuition dollars into attending schools with institutional accreditation and, when possible, an academic program that holds programmatic accreditation.
What’s the difference between a medical laboratory scientist and a clinical laboratory scientist? The short answer is: they are the same. Different credentialing agencies assign unique certification titles for the same position. In the past, the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA) offered a clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) certification and the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offered a similar certification for medical technologists (MT). In an effort to streamline these credentials, these two agencies merged in 2009 and became the ASCP Board of Certification (BOC) and began offering the medical laboratory scientist (MLS) credential.
To expand career opportunities and career interests, there are many types of healthcare specializations for medical laboratory scientists to pursue. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical and clinical laboratory scientists specialize in specific fields of healthcare such as blood banking, immunology (testing for diseases), cytotechnology (testing for cancerous cells), and clinical chemistry (testing hormone levels) among others. Certifications for these specialization areas can be earned through the ASCP BOC.
The demand for medical and clinical laboratory scientists is projected to grow eleven percent in the coming decade. Between 2022 and 2032, the BLS (2023) predicts that clinical laboratory technologist positions will grow 5 percent nationally, which is much faster than the average for all occupations at 3 percent. This means an estimated 24,000 new positions will be created in the same time period.
For those wanting to join a rapidly expanding allied health field of healthcare with a four-year degree, becoming a medical and clinical laboratory scientist is an ideal career choice. Read on to learn more about the top-paying regions and specializations for medical and clinical laboratory scientists.
Top-Paying Cities for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Scientists
Below are the cities and corresponding metropolitan areas with the highest wages for medical and clinical laboratory scientists according to the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (May 2022).
It’s worth noting that all of the top-paying regions in this profession are in large metropolitan areas across the United States. On this list are also the number of estimated medical and clinical laboratory scientists in that area. Salaries for these cities range between $75,690 and $96,400.
| Metropolitan area | Employment of medical and clinical laboratory scientists | Average annual salary |
|---|---|---|
| Merced, CA | 40 | $96,400 |
| Napa, CA | 60 | $86,960 |
| Redding, CA | 100 | $86,470 |
| Medford, OR | 150 | $80,010 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 90 | $79,030 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 5,100 | $78,490 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,460 | $78,150 |
| Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI | 190 | $77,540 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | 18,780 | $76,380 |
| New Haven, CT | 1,440 | $75,690 |
Top-Paying States for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Scientists
Here is a list of the states with the highest mean wages for medical and clinical laboratory scientists according to data from the BLS (May 2022). An estimated number of medical and clinical laboratory scientists working in that state is also provided.
| State | Employment of medical and clinical laboratory scientists | Average annual salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 16,990 | $76,110 |
| Connecticut | 3,690 | $73,960 |
| Oregon | 3,030 | $73,020 |
| New Hampshire | 570 | $72,870 |
| New Jersey | 8,450 | $70,100 |
Most Popular Work Environments for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Scientists
According to the BLS (May 2022), these are the largest employers for medical and clinical laboratory scientists:
| Work environment | Percentage of employed medical and clinical laboratory scientists |
|---|---|
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 44 percent |
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories | 21 percent |
| Offices of physicians | 9 percent |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools | 5 percent |
| Outpatient care centers | 3 percent |
Top-Paying Industries for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Scientists
Below is a list of the industries with the highest salaries for medical and clinical laboratory scientists, an estimated number of employed professionals (not including self-employed workers), and the annual mean wage as reported by the BLS. Industries listed here pay medical and clinical laboratory scientists’ average annual salaries between $68,430 to $101,080 (BLS May 2022).
| Industry | Employment | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 720 | $74,320 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | 230 | $70,700 |
| Speciality Hospitals | 2,970 | $69,070 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment Suppliers | 270 | $68,900 |
| Federal Executive Branch | 7,870 | $66,900 |
Top-Paying Specializations for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Scientists
As previously mentioned, medical and clinical laboratory scientists can choose to specialize in a specific healthcare area. To prove professional competencies in an area of specialization, additional training and certification in methodologies and processes are required to support doctors and nurses in providing the best and most accurate care for patients.
Below are five specialization areas and the corresponding average salary, as self-reported by professionals in the field to Payscale.com (November 2023).
| Specialization | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Clinical Supervision | $72,945 |
| Project Management | $69,720 |
| Team Leadership | $66,045 |
| Molecular Biology | $64,956 |
| Clinical Research | $62,766 |
Rachel Drummond, MEd
WriterRachel Drummond has written about integrating contemplative movement practices such as yoga into healthcare professions since 2019, promoting the idea that mental and physical well-being are critical components of effective patient care and self-care in the high-stress world of healthcare.
Rachel is a writer, educator, and coach from Oregon. She has a master’s degree in education (MEd) and has over 15 years of experience teaching English, public speaking, and mindfulness to international audiences in the United States, Japan, and Spain. She writes about the mind-body benefits of contemplative movement practices like yoga on her blog, inviting people to prioritize their unique version of well-being and empowering everyone to live healthier and more balanced lives.