M.T salaries for new grads

Hi does anyone know what the prevailing wage for M.T's in MA is or the salary for a new grad (4 yr B.S- ASCP eligible )
Thanks

According to the brochure on www.UAMS.edu you should expect a starting salary between $33,000 and $38,000.

wow thats low, I was expecting 50K for the chicago land area

Yea BKEM its low b/c you have MLT working in the field. If you can hire a mlt making 15-18 a hour, why would they want to hire a MT that could make 20-25? This is why our profession is shorthanded, noone wants to get into a field where you have 2 year degree can do the same as a 4 year degree. Our career will always be shorthanded till they eliminate the MLT degree and make the clinical lab soley a BSMT position. If they do that and hire solely MT with cert (NCA or ASCP) they will start at 25 and keep increasing every year. Pharmacy never has a shortage b/c they pay pharmacist 40-50/hour. Its not like its more interesting than the lab side, money talks, people will stay in the field if they can take care of their family without working two jobs or having a 2 year degree doing the same type of job your are.

Actually the median salary in Marlborough, MA is about 60K a year which is pretty good. It's also about 60K in Illinois. I'd trust salary.com because this appears to be a very accurate site for the most up to date info on salaries. It's right on when it comes to salaries in CA.

www.salary.com, enter medical technologist and zip code.

Its about 60K in Illinois if you find a hospital that will pay you 30/hour. But if they have MLT candidtes that can do they same things, they will hire them for 15-18 per hour. Trust me, when I am looking for a job, I have 5 years experience as a BSMT (ASCP). When I ask them 30/hour its like I am committing a crime, b/c they know they can hire a MLT for 15-18 per hour, why on earth would they hire a MT for higher wages. This folks, is why we have a shortage, all my friends that graduated with me got out of the profession b/c they were not getting paid well, MLT are taking their position, and the annual increases were horrible.

MLTs can only do so much. The only department MLTs can do about the same amount of work as MTs is Chemistry with the reason being it is so automated. The MLTs still cannot release results. MLTs cannot perform differentials under the microscope or do UAs in hematology. MLTs cannot look at micro plates and decide what bacteria is in the specimen like MTs. MLTs cannot crossmatch, type blood, or even issue blood like MTs.

In every department, MLTs cannot do these things, and this is why they are not like MTs. If you become more of a generalist or at least keep experience in all departments especially the less automated departments, MLTs will not take your job.

MLT MUST be restricted in California, but here in PA. I work with a majority of MLT and they can do EVERYTHING. A MLT is a senior tech in our blood bank, she is not the major but she does everything. We have two micro MLT techs that do EVERYTHING in micro, down to isolating the organisms via biochemical tests. So maybe they are restricted in california, certainly NOT in the east coast, this is why I am saying MLT LOWER WAGES. They do everything a MT does but get paid differently. I work with a majority of them at 3 different hospitals so this is a norm.

manajor not major..typo

Lynne - Massachusetts in Marlborough, Massachusetts said: Hi does anyone know what the prevailing wage for M.T's in MA is or the salary for a new grad (4 yr B.S- ASCP eligible )
Thanks

It's $19/hr. in Florida for new grads, and that seems to prevail for most of the U.S.

John1104 in Buffalo, New York said: MLT MUST be restricted in California, but here in PA. I work with a majority of MLT and they can do EVERYTHING. A MLT is a senior tech in our blood bank, she is not the major but she does everything. We have two micro MLT techs that do EVERYTHING in micro, down to isolating the organisms via biochemical tests. So maybe they are restricted in california, certainly NOT in the east coast, this is why I am saying MLT LOWER WAGES. They do everything a MT does but get paid differently. I work with a majority of them at 3 different hospitals so this is a norm.

Wow! I feel lucky to live in a restrictive state like Florida; their hospitals absolutely require all new employees to be ASCP-certified med techs; the non-ASCP-certified techs are the ones that were grandfathered in from over 20 years ago, and they'll soon be retiring. The going wages in Florida are low, compared to what I've read on this forum, but I'm not doing it for the money; I'm doing it for the love of microbiology. I absolutely love my job, and I'm proud of the fact that I'm actually using the education I worked so hard to get.

Ann I totally agree with what your saying. To increase pay the laboratory has to be regulated. Since the ASCP and NCA are merging I really hope they will stop with all these other certification agencies. People would stay in the field if they paid better. I had 5 friends that graduated with me that are totally in other field. One was PA, others went into pharmacy and another was a RN. Pharmacy is really not more interesting than the LAB side, but people stay in it b/c it pays well. If you had a 2 year degree LPN that does the same as a RN, of course hospitals would rather hire the cheaper labor LPN. But since they know RN had more schooling and clinical background, at least my hospital just layed of all the LPN and said it was mandatory for RN to work Med Serge. I wish they would do the same for MLT. Then alteast the starting salary would be higher, and would increase a good amount each year, so students would be interesting in working in the field and STAY in the field, hence no shortage. I am looking into pharmacy b/c I know it pays better, I already started applying. I really love my career, but I have to make a living, and trying to buy a house, have a family, car payments, I would have to work 2 full time jobs the rest of my life to survive.

$19 in Virgina for new grad. I think, it depends on how you negotiate with the employer. When I started working, they offered me only $17. I did not take it and finally pay $20/hr. They always try to give you very low especially for new grad.
Don't let them bully to you.

Boston Chilidren's Hospital 24.00... for real!

i'm a new grad making $45k plus 10% night differential.

John1104 in Buffalo, New York said: MLT MUST be restricted in California, but here in PA. I work with a majority of MLT and they can do EVERYTHING. A MLT is a senior tech in our blood bank, she is not the major but she does everything. We have two micro MLT techs that do EVERYTHING in micro, down to isolating the organisms via biochemical tests. So maybe they are restricted in california, certainly NOT in the east coast, this is why I am saying MLT LOWER WAGES. They do everything a MT does but get paid differently. I work with a majority of them at 3 different hospitals so this is a norm.

I work in Pennsylania. You hit it exactly. Also you have the bio major getting their noses in the profession because they cannot find a job. This does not help MT wages out either. The MLT can carry out a test, BUT they have no clue on the theory behind it. Hence they can not trouble shoot.

Boston MA 24.50 new grads...

EVERYONE and their mommas are describing the new grad salaries for their respective states. And I think that is wonderful and I as well as other potential CLS's are thankful. However, any chance you can also include the the salary relative to cost of living? For example, if avg. here in California is like 70K, I understand since a 3br-2bath house here is what? 600k?

If we are talking about Rhode Island for instance, or Texas, if starting is 45K as stated by "cmoney," how is that relative to cost of living? I mean 45K in California is pretty sad for someone with CLS education. But if avg. cost of a house in RI is 200-300K then that isnt too bad??

Anyway, anyone care to elaborate with the cost of living on your repsective states with regards to CLS salaries?

CLS-HOPEFUL in Glendale, California said: EVERYONE and their mommas are describing the new grad salaries for their respective states. And I think that is wonderful and I as well as other potential CLS's are thankful. However, any chance you can also include the the salary relative to cost of living? For example, if avg. here in California is like 70K, I understand since a 3br-2bath house here is what? 600k?

Actually, a 3 bed 2 bath house in CA goes for about 350K or less in many areas of CA. I bought mine in orange county for under 300K earlier this year at the low point of the housing crash. Now is the time to buy if you can afford it.

CLS48 in California said: Actually, a 3 bed 2 bath house in CA goes for about 350K or less in many areas of CA. I bought mine in orange county for under 300K earlier this year at the low point of the housing crash. Now is the time to buy if you can afford it.

well...definitely not SF lol. i've been looking for one in daly city, and pacificia - but i don't think i'll make it in time before the houses start climbing steeply. Earlier this year, was the perfect time. So you are in LA area?? I always thought u were up north heh.

Here in Sacramento, CA, I make $50.17 an hour, about $100,000 a year after being at the same hospital for 7 years. I receive 4 weeks vacation plus holiday pay. Gas is near $3/gallon. Average house is $200,000 and groceries run me about $600/month for family of 4. So cost of living is quite low here compared to other parts of California, yet the salary for a Clinical Lab Scientist is high. There are no MLT's in the hospital system that I work for. And yes, we are unionized.

CLS-PM shift in Sacramento, California said: Here in Sacramento, CA, I make $50.17 an hour, about $100,000 a year after being at the same hospital for 7 years. I receive 4 weeks vacation plus holiday pay. Gas is near $3/gallon. Average house is $200,000 and groceries run me about $600/month for family of 4. So cost of living is quite low here compared to other parts of California, yet the salary for a Clinical Lab Scientist is high. There are no MLT's in the hospital system that I work for. And yes, we are unionized.

How's life there? Is Stockton as bad as they say? And do you know anything about Lathrop? Thanks for ur info!

Damn I need to get out of Florida, this state is so cheap, they would rather hire a MLT for for $15.00 per hour, than a MT.

The houses here are the same price about $200,000 and we do not even get close to 30/hour.

I am going to try to move to california, all these other states are pathetic. You see why there is so much interest in california, plenty of students in the schools, standards, and a high wage.

Cost of living is perfect for 50/hour and a 200,000 house. I think I will apply for my CA license.

50 an hour sounds a bit high even for CA. He or she probably works at Kaiser up north since Kaiser pays the most in this state.

I do have a coworker at my per diem job that works at Kaiser in southern CA and she has 23 years of experience and works on a graveyard shift making about 50 an hour with the differential.

You are probably looking at in mostly in the 40s an hour if you work up north with 5+ years of experience.

John1104 in Orlando, Florida said: Damn I need to get out of Florida, this state is so cheap, they would rather hire a MLT for for $15.00 per hour, than a MT.

The houses here are the same price about $200,000 and we do not even get close to 30/hour.

I am going to try to move to california, all these other states are pathetic. You see why there is so much interest in california, plenty of students in the schools, standards, and a high wage.

Cost of living is perfect for 50/hour and a 200,000 house. I think I will apply for my CA license.

just remember, san francisco (bay area vicinity) the house prices are much more expensive. But 200k on average is right for sacramento area.

it really depends on the state, despite licensure, I believe FL has a weakness in their state lab science operating law. Kali law(even if u pass ASCP), dictates that you need 36 credits in bio/chem/physics, which includes 12 cr of bio; 12 cr of chem, 3 cr of physics. they also require you to have certain specific CLS courses like hematology, etc. Alas, they have a one year rotation implemented in the last year of the program - unlike many other states. work experience generally does not apply.

hopefully, all you need to do if moving to kali is to do an internship, and you are set!

About the CA State Licensure...

I heard somewhere that you can get CA licensure with just ASCP certification - you don't need to be a CA-trained CLS and don't need to have the 1 year clinical rotation. This just passed state legislature, but is not in the LFS website yet as they are slow in implementing it. Is this true?

Daniel in League City, Texas said: About the CA State Licensure...

I heard somewhere that you can get CA licensure with just ASCP certification - you don't need to be a CA-trained CLS and don't need to have the 1 year clinical rotation. This just passed state legislature, but is not in the LFS website yet as they are slow in implementing it. Is this true?

It passed last year but several people who went to CLS programs in other states could not get their CA license even though they were ASCP certified because their CLS education was missing 1 year of rotations. I made a thread about the requirements below.

www.indeed.com/forum/job/medical-technologist/Requirements-get-CA-CLS-license/t202484

I am orginally from MI, therefore I do not know much about the surrounding cities such as Stockon or Lathrop. I have lived in Sacramento for almost 5 years now. It is a great place to raise a family since it is mainly suburbia with a smallish yet artsy downtown.

Kevin Johnson is our mayor and really has pride for Sacramento. The people are greatly diverse which, to me, adds to it's charm. I must say it feels like a small town even though the population is nearing 1 million.

I do work for Kaiser and yes they pay well. However, my co-worker who works for Kaiser also works for the Catholic Healthcare West-Mercy Hospitals in Sac and they pay higher wages than Kaiser in Sacramento. Yes, the bay area Hospitals, Alta Bates, MArin General, and SF Hospital pay high wages yet the cost of living in the bay is astronomical if you are raising a family and wish to own your own house.

I am ASCP and California certified. However, the CA liscense is no longer needed. However I do not know all the details about that. The majority of techs out here are from the Philipines. So, if you are Filipino you will be at home here :).

If you have anymore questions about Tech jobs out in this area I will be happy to answer them.

ifwishwerehorses in Lake Grove, New York said: How's life there? Is Stockton as bad as they say? And do you know anything about Lathrop? Thanks for ur info!

I am orginally from MI, therefore I do not know much about the surrounding cities such as Stockon or Lathrop. I have lived in Sacramento for almost 5 years now. It is a great place to raise a family since it is mainly suburbia with a smallish yet artsy downtown.

Kevin Johnson is our mayor and really has pride for Sacramento. The people are greatly diverse which, to me, adds to it's charm. I must say it feels like a small town even though the population is nearing 1 million.

I do work for Kaiser and yes they pay well. However, my co-worker who works for Kaiser also works for the Catholic Healthcare West-Mercy Hospitals in Sac and they pay higher wages than Kaiser in Sacramento. Yes, the bay area Hospitals, Alta Bates, MArin General, and SF Hospital pay high wages yet the cost of living in the bay is astronomical if you are raising a family and wish to own your own house.

I am ASCP and California certified. However, the CA liscense is no longer needed. However I do not know all the details about that. The majority of techs out here are from the Philipines. So, if you are Filipino you will be at home here :).

If you have anymore questions about Tech jobs out in this area I will be happy to answer them.

CLS-PM shift in Sacramento, California said:

I am ASCP and California certified. However, the CA liscense is no longer needed. However I do not know all the details about that. The majority of techs out here are from the Philipines. So, if you are Filipino you will be at home here :).

That is incorrect. You do need a CA CLS license to work as a CLS here. The change is that you can apply for it just if you have the ASCP certification and your education qualifies. You do not have to take the state exam anymore like before.

Yep most CLSs here are filipino because the states accepts the MT education from the schools in the Philippines.

John1104 in Buffalo, New York said: MLT MUST be restricted in California, but here in PA. I work with a majority of MLT and they can do EVERYTHING. A MLT is a senior tech in our blood bank, she is not the major but she does everything. We have two micro MLT techs that do EVERYTHING in micro, down to isolating the organisms via biochemical tests. So maybe they are restricted in california, certainly NOT in the east coast, this is why I am saying MLT LOWER WAGES. They do everything a MT does but get paid differently. I work with a majority of them at 3 different hospitals so this is a norm.

I agreed with you, because there are many MLT work in Lab without MT supervision. They even teach Medical technology students on clinical rotation to perform test. They vertify patients lab results without MT supervision. I think all states should not allow these things happen. Thus will impact quailty of lab.

John1104 in Buffalo, New York said: Ann I totally agree with what your saying. To increase pay the laboratory has to be regulated. Since the ASCP and NCA are merging I really hope they will stop with all these other certification agencies. People would stay in the field if they paid better. I had 5 friends that graduated with me that are totally in other field. One was PA, others went into pharmacy and another was a RN. Pharmacy is really not more interesting than the LAB side, but people stay in it b/c it pays well. If you had a 2 year degree LPN that does the same as a RN, of course hospitals would rather hire the cheaper labor LPN. But since they know RN had more schooling and clinical background, at least my hospital just layed of all the LPN and said it was mandatory for RN to work Med Serge. I wish they would do the same for MLT. Then alteast the starting salary would be higher, and would increase a good amount each year, so students would be interesting in working in the field and STAY in the field, hence no shortage. I am looking into pharmacy b/c I know it pays better, I already started applying. I really love my career, but I have to make a living, and trying to buy a house, have a family, car payments, I would have to work 2 full time jobs the rest of my life to survive.

I am thinking to apply for PA school, I am new MT grad. MT have no future.

Yea I have been trying to get out ever since I graduated. This is truely a stepping stone, unless we control our own profession.

ifwishwerehorses in Brooklyn, New York said: maybe clsPMshift thought about how it was many years ago, the change did take place in 2008? before that, you had to take a cali state test?

Before you just had to take the state exam to get your CA CLS license. They did not accept the ASCP test. They offered the exam once a year in November, and I took the last exam they offered, in November of 2007.

This is why there is still a large number of CLSs in CA that are not ASCP certified. All they have is the CA CLS license since that's all they needed to take. I took the ASCP test in addition though because I wanted the certification. Nowadays, it's better because you just have to take the ASCP test and you get both the state license and certification.

BKEM,

I'm in Kenosha, WI which is only 6 miles from the Ill/WI state border and I make $20/hour and a $2.75/hour shift differential for second shift. That's close to what everywhere else in WI was paying that I saw, with the pay deceasing some the more north you went.

Lynne - Massachusetts in Marlborough, Massachusetts said: Hi does anyone know what the prevailing wage for M.T's in MA is or the salary for a new grad (4 yr B.S- ASCP eligible )
Thanks

I just completed my clinical at Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, MA in June and there starting pay was $20/hour if you had graduated a progam but not taken your exam yet. And it was bumped up to 22.50/hour after you passed your exam.

new grads: did you have any trouble finding a job right away? my friend has applied to a lot of positions in baltimore, md (he graduates next month), and hasn't heard anything yet. granted, it's only been a month & 1/2 or so since he started applying... how long did it take for you all to hear back from an employer? the only experience he has is his clinical rotations... i think he's been doing them for about 5 months now?

oh, he is graduating with a BS degree in "medical laboratory sciences"

Does anyone know what is the starting salary in IL? I have heared it is around $20-21. Is that true?
I am graduating soon. so I need to start thinking about where to go and how much I should offer. Please HELP!!!!

I am a new grad in IL. Just passed my board exam and am MT(ASCP). Can anyone tell me if there is a greater demand, or more jobs available for people with training in a particular area I don't mean additional certification, but just experience. Someone recommended changing jobs during your career in order to increase your pay, so I'm thinking that I should start out by getting a few years of experience, then go on another job search as an MT with experience, which seems to pay a lot better than entry level. So my question for all you experienced MT's: Am I better off with experience in a particular area or areas, and if so, which areas are best?

You are better off to work as a generalist, get a few years experience then become section supervisor, then eventually assistant lab director or director.

I am a assistant lab director with my BS MT (ASCP). I had 3 years generalist experience, 5 years as a blood band supervisor, then moved to be assistant lab director.

You are the ideal candidate to get hired because you have your MT and ASCP certification. If you need a job at my lab, just ask.

I am always looking for qualified individuals.

I am working here in the MPH as senior medical technologist, I did pass my CLS Exams in Oakland 2005 and the license is still active. The H1B is for renewal but I am having second thought of staying here as I perceived there is stability here in the Gulf; but my inner spirit says ---go and still pursue your American dream.
Since my level entree is already in supervisory level here in my department can I get the supervisory level up there? The next question is who will sponsor a 51 year old Filipino tech with a rich experience and the fastest serologist in the Gulf, featured in local daily here--my retinal rod's sensitivity is faster than the IR antigen detectors...handling the national civil id card blood typing--200 to 500 people daily God Bless, thanks

CLS-PM shift in Sacramento, California said: I am orginally from MI, therefore I do not know much about the surrounding cities such as Stockon or Lathrop. I have lived in Sacramento for almost 5 years now. It is a great place to raise a family since it is mainly suburbia with a smallish yet artsy downtown.

Kevin Johnson is our mayor and really has pride for Sacramento. The people are greatly diverse which, to me, adds to it's charm. I must say it feels like a small town even though the population is nearing 1 million.

I do work for Kaiser and yes they pay well. However, my co-worker who works for Kaiser also works for the Catholic Healthcare West-Mercy Hospitals in Sac and they pay higher wages than Kaiser in Sacramento. Yes, the bay area Hospitals, Alta Bates, MArin General, and SF Hospital pay high wages yet

is it harder to get into med technologist school or get a job after school?