By: All Allied Health Staff
Updated: June 10, 2026
Medical technicians can refer to several different job titles within the field of medical technology. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports salary data for an occupation group they call clinical laboratory technologists and technicians (which they used to call medical and clinical laboratory technicians in the past). This group includes hematology technologists, histotechnologists, cytotechnologists and more—many of the job titles we associate with medical technology. Understanding the salary landscape for this employment group may help you decide the career that’s right for you or what kind of money you can expect to earn throughout your career.
Key takeaways
- The median annual medical technician salary varies by specialization, location, and experience according to the BLS.
- Factors such as education and certifications may significantly affect earning potential for medical technicians.
- Job growth for medical technicians is projected to increase due to an aging population and advances in technology.
- Advancing education and earning professional certifications may lead to higher-paying roles within the medical technology field.
Median annual medical technician salary
According to current Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics from the BLS, the median annual salary for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is $61,890. That translates to about $30 per hour. The median expected annual salary for phlebotomists is $43,660 (or $21 per hour).
Actual salaries may vary greatly based on specialization within the field, location, years of experience and a variety of other factors. For instance, the BLS states the bottom 10% of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians earn $38,020, while the top 10% earn as much as $97,990 per year.
Take a look at median annual salaries by state.
How do medical technician salaries compare to similar careers?
Some occupations we tend to associate with the field of medical technology are tracked separately by the BLS. Take a look at how the median annual salaries of similar occupations compare to get a more accurate sense of your earning potential within the field.
Where do medical technicians earn the most?
Take a look at which metropolitan areas across the U.S. have the highest median annual salary for medical technicians.
What factors affect medical technician salaries?
Numerous elements can influence your individual earning potential. Some may be more within your control than others—education and certifications, for instance—but if you really want to maximize your earnings, changing your location
Location:
Some states and metro areas simply pay medical techs more on average. Often this is due to a higher cost of living in these areas, so while salaries may be higher, so are your expenses. Balancing local salary figures with cost of living statistics is critical for determining how far your money will go in any one place.
Specialty credentials:
Some medical technician jobs may already require certification, but even if it’s not a requirement, certification can boost your credibility to employers and may help you secure higher-paying positions. American Medical Technologists (AMT) is one organization that offers several different certifications depending on your specialty.
Employment setting:
You may find that certain work settings pay more than others. The BLS reports that the employment settings that pay clinical lab techs the most on average are hospitals, followed by educational services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, physician offices and then other ambulatory healthcare services.
Education level:
Earning an associate or bachelor’s degree (or more) in your specialty can boost your skills and possibly qualify you for jobs with more advanced responsibilities (and higher pay). If you’re interested in eventually moving into a management or leadership role, there’s a good chance you’ll need a bachelor’s degree at minimum.
Experience:
Simply put, professionals with more years of experience tend to command higher salaries. Boosting your earnings can just take time.
Is there demand for medical techs?
There’s no getting around it—people will always get sick or injured, keeping most medical careers in generally high demand. For medical technicians, an aging baby boomer population should continue to create job opportunities. As this demographic gets older, more illnesses will need to be diagnosed (especially chronic illnesses and diseases like cancer and diabetes), requiring the help and expertise of medical technicians. Plus, there is always a need for new workers to replace people who retire or switch to other careers.
In addition, advancements in technology may create opportunities for newly-graduated medical technicians who are most familiar with the latest equipment. The proliferation of genetic testing for diagnostic purposes and treatment development is another area that may lead to an increased demand for clinical technicians and technologists.
What is the job growth for the field?
The BLS predicts jobs for medical technicians will grow by 1.7% through 2034. Biological technicians are expected to see a 3.5% growth rate through 2034. For context, the national average growth across all occupations is about 3%.
Because a significant portion of the population is aging, doctors will find themselves ordering more diagnostic tests and conducting more surgeries making medical and surgical techs necessary.
How do I advance in my career?
Like most professions, furthering your education can always help your chances for advancement. The more schooling you have, the more valuable you become to an employer. With a bachelor’s degree, for instance, a medical technician has a better shot at advancing to a medical technologist job. For some, this job can be a stepping stone to a higher-paying job as an ultrasound tech, cardiovascular tech, ophthalmic technician and more.
Earning a more lucrative role can also come from being an expert in an area of medical technology. Histotechnicians and surgical techs tend to earn more than general medical lab technicians, so earning an appropriate certification could help rev up your career.