by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 234 U.S. colleges awarded 4,179 degrees and certificates in Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 78% of graduates. College Factual ranks 118 schools in its 2027 Best Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $43,086 one year after completing, rising to $50,767 after four years.
A degree in Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology covers Clinical Laboratory Science/medical Technology/technologist. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Conduct And Supervise Complex Medical Tests, Clinical Trials, And Research Experiments; Manage Clinical Laboratories; And Consult With Physicians And Clinical Researchers On Diagnoses, Disease Causation And Spread, And Research Outcomes. Includes Instruction In The Theory And Practice Of Hematology, Clinical Chemistry, Microbiology, Immunology, Immunohematology, Physiological Relationships To Test Results, Laboratory Procedures And Quality Assurance Controls, Test And Research Design And Implementation, Analytic Techniques, Laboratory Management, Data Development And Reporting, Medical Informatics, And Professional Standards And Regulations.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., laboratory sciences & medical technology draws strong interest, with 4,179 degrees awarded annually. 234 colleges award laboratory sciences & medical technology degrees, an average of 18 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 396.
By level, the 4,179 awards include 98 certificates, 136 associate degrees, 3,256 bachelor’s degrees, 636 master’s degrees and 53 doctorates.
Women earned 79% of laboratory sciences & medical technology degrees and certificates in the latest year (3,310 of 4,179). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (2,048) and Hispanic or Latino (725), and international students earned 133.
College Factual ranks 118 schools in its 2027 Best Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology Schools ranking, including 5 for associate degrees, 98 for bachelor’s degrees, 12 for master’s degrees and 1 for doctorates. It also ranks laboratory sciences & medical technology schools within 38 states. In all, 234 colleges offer laboratory sciences & medical technology programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common laboratory sciences & medical technology credential is the bachelor’s degree: 3,256 of the 4,179 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to laboratory sciences & medical technology call most for Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking and Active Listening, and for knowledge of Biology, English Language and Medicine and Dentistry, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Written Comprehension, Near Vision and Oral Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a laboratory sciences & medical technology degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 98 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 136 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 3,256 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 636 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 53 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to laboratory sciences & medical technology, at 49.8%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 49.8% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 19.2% |
| Master’s degree | 11.5% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 7.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 3.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.4% |
| Post-doctoral training | 2.9% |
| Some college courses | 1.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.0% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology, with an average median salary of $112,140; the strongest outlook belongs to Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 10.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Cytologist, Medical Technologist (MT), Cytology Applications Specialist and Cytopathology Technologist.
The occupation related to laboratory sciences & medical technology with the most projected jobs is Cytotechnologists, at 2,585,436.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Cytotechnologists | 2,585,436 | 10.3% |
| Cytogenetic Technologists | 2,100,694 | 1.9% |
| Histotechnologists | 1,678,341 | 4.1% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | 678,933 | 3.9% |
Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology graduates earn a median $43,086 one year after completing their program, $50,767 after four years and $45,731 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $43,086 |
| 4 years | $50,767 |
| 5 years | $45,731 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to laboratory sciences & medical technology, with a median salary of $155,812.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Cytotechnologists | $155,812 |
| Cytogenetic Technologists | $155,361 |
| Histotechnologists | $125,527 |
| Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists | $77,339 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
Laboratory Sciences & Medical Technology has 12 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 18,283 degrees a year; the largest are Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist (10,645), Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician (3,375) and Sterile Processing Technology/Technician (2,477). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
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