The Education & Certification You Need to Become a Histotechnologist
What is a histotechnologist? Read on to find out and learn what careers are like and how to get started.
The Basics
- What you’ll do: Also known as histologic technologists or tissue technologists, you’ll prepare slices of body tissue for examination by pathologists. As a histotechnologist, you’ll be performing complex procedures for processing body tissue and make judgments concerning the quality of results.
- Where you’ll work: Most histotechnologists work in hospitals or clinical pathology labs, but you might also work in research laboratories, doctors’ offices, for a pharmaceutical company or for a government agency.
- Degree you’ll need: Bachelor’s degree
- Median annual salary: $54,180
Education and Training
In addition to histology and histochemistry, you’ll learn processing techniques, preparation of specimens and microscopy.
Courses in histotechnology generally include the following:
- Medical Terminology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Immunology
- Anatomy and Physiology
Licensing and Certification
In order to become a histotechnologist, you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree and certification from a National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS) or Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) accredited program.
Regulations vary from state to state, but certification is highly recommended because many employers require it. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers national certification and testing, which earns histotechnologists the title Certified Histotechnologist (CHTL).
Salaries by State
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categorized histotechnologists under clinical laboratory technicians and technologists. Take a look at median annual wages for your state:
National data
Median Salary: $54,180
Bottom 10%: $31,450
Top 10%: $83,700
Projected job growth: 7.3%
State data
| State | Median Salary | Bottom 10% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $43,920 | $25,600 | $70,020 |
| Alaska | $63,670 | $34,250 | $111,530 |
| Arizona | $46,240 | $29,190 | $80,400 |
| Arkansas | $43,020 | $26,640 | $68,780 |
| California | $63,120 | $36,050 | $104,210 |
| Colorado | $57,570 | $34,790 | $86,830 |
| Connecticut | $70,140 | $40,350 | $99,190 |
| Delaware | $60,320 | $33,130 | $80,450 |
| District of Columbia | $63,340 | $43,820 | $97,690 |
| Florida | $53,030 | $28,500 | $79,920 |
| Georgia | $48,760 | $28,920 | $77,040 |
| Hawaii | $60,050 | $40,570 | $85,710 |
| Idaho | $42,980 | $28,400 | $79,280 |
| Illinois | $51,790 | $28,980 | $80,460 |
| Indiana | $46,610 | $28,740 | $72,860 |
| Iowa | $48,600 | $31,260 | $70,400 |
| Kansas | $47,570 | $28,630 | $76,470 |
| Kentucky | $54,820 | $33,620 | $78,540 |
| Louisiana | $49,290 | $27,400 | $76,570 |
| Maine | $56,400 | $34,630 | $78,160 |
| Maryland | $55,140 | $33,910 | $85,200 |
| Massachusetts | $56,220 | $35,000 | $93,540 |
| Michigan | $53,130 | $29,630 | $78,620 |
| Minnesota | $56,080 | $39,050 | $81,240 |
| Mississippi | $43,110 | $26,600 | $71,050 |
| Missouri | $46,900 | $28,470 | $77,110 |
| Montana | $57,650 | $29,240 | $83,600 |
| Nebraska | $53,540 | $32,570 | $78,860 |
| Nevada | $61,430 | $34,860 | $92,900 |
| New Hampshire | $66,590 | $37,370 | $86,440 |
| New Jersey | $64,930 | $40,170 | $90,040 |
| New Mexico | $47,980 | $30,780 | $76,800 |
| New York | $69,380 | $38,720 | $100,810 |
| North Carolina | $50,730 | $33,170 | $76,720 |
| North Dakota | $51,160 | $33,220 | $76,360 |
| Ohio | $53,960 | $30,970 | $78,380 |
| Oklahoma | $46,410 | $28,590 | $73,610 |
| Oregon | $67,840 | $40,340 | $98,860 |
| Pennsylvania | $53,980 | $33,920 | $77,920 |
| Rhode Island | $66,910 | $44,940 | $98,090 |
| South Carolina | $48,720 | $28,960 | $76,830 |
| South Dakota | $48,090 | $28,570 | $73,440 |
| Tennessee | $54,270 | $30,160 | $80,990 |
| Texas | $51,630 | $29,650 | $78,660 |
| Utah | $44,030 | $28,150 | $78,590 |
| Vermont | $57,390 | $34,230 | $82,970 |
| Virginia | $54,230 | $32,540 | $80,840 |
| Washington | $61,310 | $36,970 | $94,470 |
| West Virginia | $49,260 | $28,810 | $75,350 |
| Wisconsin | $55,770 | $35,250 | $78,560 |
| Wyoming | $55,140 | $27,900 | $83,630 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2020 median salary; projected job growth through 2029. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.