Show me the money...

Yes that's right, which is why I put the years of experience next to their pay. My point was it can be made but down the line. $33 to $37 an hour are pretty accurate. I know UCLA now starts CLSs with no experience at $37 now and that's in southern CA. I'm sure there are large hospitals in northern CA that probably are close to $40 an hour for new graduates. Much also depends on the company itself.

I live in San Diego, and make 32 dollars an hour, not much but I just recently started so I am excited about the pay. I'm thinking about moving to North Cal after 1 or 2 years because I know someone that get paid 40+ dollars an hour in the bay area. I'm loving it thus far and will like to make more but life is good. The only draw back is you have to be CLS certified, but in order to get certified you need a B.S degree which took me 5 years and 40k in dept. However I am still lucky to be making this much. If your not making at least 30-35 dollars an hour in Southern California and you got CLS, than you need to move from that zero job and get into the winners circle. Good luck.

I live in San Diego, and make 32 dollars an hour, not much but I just recently started so I am excited about the pay. I'm thinking about moving to North Cal after 1 or 2 years because I know someone that get paid 40+ dollars an hour in the bay area. I'm loving it thus far and will like to make more but life is good. The only draw back is you have to be CLS certified, but in order to get certified you need a B.S degree which took me 5 years and 40k in dept. However I am still lucky to be making this much. If your not making at least 30-35 dollars an hour in Southern California and you got CLS, than you need to move from that zero job and get into the winners circle. Good luck.

Megan2010 in San Diego, California said: I live in San Diego, and make 32 dollars an hour, not much but I just recently started so I am excited about the pay. I'm thinking about moving to North Cal after 1 or 2 years because I know someone that get paid 40+ dollars an hour in the bay area. I'm loving it thus far and will like to make more but life is good. The only draw back is you have to be CLS certified, but in order to get certified you need a B.S degree which took me 5 years and 40k in dept. However I am still lucky to be making this much. If your not making at least 30-35 dollars an hour in Southern California and you got CLS, than you need to move from that zero job and get into the winners circle. Good luck.

Do you work in the hospital or reference lab? Im looking to move to San Diego as soon as I found a job. I have interviews lined up for both and I wonder about the salary difference between the two.Thanks

MLS in Bradford, Pennsylvania said: Do you work in the hospital or reference lab? Im looking to move to San Diego as soon as I found a job. I have interviews lined up for both and I wonder about the salary difference between the two.Thanks

The only big reference lab in San Diego is LabCorp. Don't work for LabCorp. They won't give you raises and if they do, they'll give you only 2%. They will also try to lowball you giving you $30 even if you have a lot of experience. Quest is a better company to work for.

CLS48 in California said: The only big reference lab in San Diego is LabCorp. Don't work for LabCorp. They won't give you raises and if they do, they'll give you only 2%. They will also try to lowball you giving you $30 even if you have a lot of experience. Quest is a better company to work for.

Really , thats good to know. No wonder they have lots of opening even for Sr CLS.

If you're looking at San Diego, I'd recommend Scripps hospital La Jolla I think it is. They have a few other Scripps hospitals down there. They might have a kaiser and there is UC San Diego med center. Those are the only San Diego employers worth looking at that would give you a decent rate and good raises. I have two former classmates that work at Scripps hospital down there and they've been there for 4 or 5 years so it must be good.

CLS48 in California said: If you're looking at San Diego, I'd recommend Scripps hospital La Jolla I think it is. They have a few other Scripps hospitals down there. They might have a kaiser and there is UC San Diego med center. Those are the only San Diego employers worth looking at that would give you a decent rate and good raises. I have two former classmates that work at Scripps hospital down there and they've been there for 4 or 5 years so it must be good.

Have you heard about Sharp Hospitals, they have few openings in different locations. I already had looked at Scripp but they only have night shift opening which Im not really interested at this point but I heard theyre pretty good with their employees.

No I haven't, but if Sharp owns a few hospitals in their hospital system, they must be stable and ok.

I graduated in 2008 with my BS in CLS and started working at Mayo Clinic. The starting pay was fine 24.00/hr and for the two years i was there we got raises lik 3 percent of the medium of your pay grade (some crap like that) by the time i quit (for scheduling and family reasons) i was making nearly 25/hr. but i only worked the week, no weekends and no holidays and there was no night shift bc it was a clinic. I liked it in the beginning and began to feel like a trained monkey and so i left to get my MS in health care administration though id like to return to the bench but not chemistry....maybe micro. i know one of my classmates moved to cali and started at 75k/yr and that was 2008 so im sure its increased. but 25/hr in phoenix as a new grad was great! i lived on half my paycheck which allowed me savings to quit take care of my baby and go back to school.

I'm in a Lab Technician program right now and you guys are making me wonder if I should switch to nursing, considering I'm only doing this as a stepping stone anyways. My plan was to get an Associate's in MLT, and then start working and go back to school for a bachelor's (not as a technologist, I don't know in what yet). The gist is that I have no plans of making a lifelong career out of being a lab tech, I just want that option available to me while I'm in school, because historically I've only worked food service jobs like washing dishes, and $7.25 an hour isn't exactly cutting it. All the bitching in here makes me wonder if I should just go into nursing though since I don't have any real desire for one over the other. Lab Tech does seem a bit easier than nursing though, or at less stressful at least.

I have my B.S. in biology and couldn't find work after, or at least work that didn't drive me up the wall. I am in my first semester of CLS and I am definitely not in this for the money. If I can come out making a decent salary to where I can pay off my loans and live comfortably, I'm fine with that. Anything to not have to deal with patients or customers and still be science-related, I'm a happy camper.
I don't care how much I would make as a nurse, I could not deal with that s***, to be honest. I do understand and agree that MTs and MLTs should be more defined in their duties and that MTs should get paid more, but at this point in my life, I will be happy with +/- 50k per year.

anonymous in Tulsa, Oklahoma said: I'm in a Lab Technician program right now and you guys are making me wonder if I should switch to nursing, considering I'm only doing this as a stepping stone anyways. My plan was to get an Associate's in MLT, and then start working and go back to school for a bachelor's (not as a technologist, I don't know in what yet). The gist is that I have no plans of making a lifelong career out of being a lab tech, I just want that option available to me while I'm in school, because historically I've only worked food service jobs like washing dishes, and $7.25 an hour isn't exactly cutting it. All the bitching in here makes me wonder if I should just go into nursing though since I don't have any real desire for one over the other. Lab Tech does seem a bit easier than nursing though, or at less stressful at least.

Its way better pay than food service industries and like nursing some places you can be full time but work 3 days 12 hour shifts and i think thats worth it especially if youre looking to go back to school.

Robert in Dallas, Texas said: If you have your ASCP you can work anywhere in the US. If you have your AMT you are limited (ny and cali require ASCP cert)

If you have your MT ASCP you are golden, work anywhere, lab director, dept supervisor. If you only have your MLT you will be the last choice if their is a MT applying for the same job.

Lab standards = BS MT (ASCP)

All others = (mlt,amt) = cheap labor, lower wages and reduce standards.

HI ROBERT!
I've been considering to relocate to a different state because I'd like to get a higher pay, and Texas is one of my options since the cost of living is lower in comparison to Chicago. The pay here in Chicago is very low. I already have 2 years of experience and I make 22/hr ( and is second shift)

Anonymous in Chicago, Illinois said: I make 55,000 per year @ 40 hours per week. If I work 8 hours of overtime per week I make 72,000 per year. I have been a med tech for 3 years in Chicago.

Hi!
It's hard to believe that you get paid that much working in Chicago. I've already work for more than 2 years and I don't make that kind of money, and I know that most of the hospitals nearby the city pay around $ 20 - 22 ( as a new graduate) I'm working 2nd shift and I make around $ 45,000 /year. Where do you suggest I should work for ?...I need a new job ASAP, because I don't make enough money. I have 2 kids and my wife is going to college (barely starting), so pretty much we are trying to survive under one paycheck. I have to swipe my credit card to make it everymonth. I'd truly appreciate your feedback.

Anonymous in Chicago, Illinois said: To Whyil-E-Ki-Yo-Tee, If I work just 4 hours overtime a week I make $8000 more a year. If I work 8 hours of overtime a week I make $16000 more. The earning potential in my state is fantastic as long as you can work an extra double shift a week. I'm scraping the bottom of CLS-California pay without having to choke down an extra $5000 a year in housing prices. If you care a lot about your free time you probably won't make much in this profession. Doesn't matter if you live in Maine or California.

Hi!
It's hard to believe that you get paid that much working in Chicago. I've already work for more than 2 years and I don't make that kind of money, and I know that most of the hospitals nearby the city pay around $ 20 - 22 ( as a new graduate) I'm working 2nd shift and I make around $ 45,000 /year. Where do you suggest I should work for ?...I need a new job ASAP, because I don't make enough money. I have 2 kids and my wife is going to college (barely starting), so pretty much we are trying to survive under one paycheck. I have to swipe my credit card to make it everymonth. I'd truly appreciate your feedback.

CLS48 in California said: I have to disagree. The job is pretty much simple, stress free, and with a full time and per diem job I make close to $80,000 a year. That is better than alot of other careers.

How long have you been working as a medical lab scientist in California to be making that much?

Medical Technologist in Atlanta, Georgia said: Salary depends on where you are, what you do and how long you do it....Having said that, salaries of the professionals i work with, average 70 a year up to 6 figures...I've been in the field of laboratory science for more than 11 years now and I have to say that the field is broad and growing. I think the problem with most people in this field is that they are not aware of all the opportunities laboratory professionals have. While I was employed in the hospital laboratories, just like most, I was unaware of what was going on around me. I didn't learn about all the opportunities until i got involved in public health . As an employee at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), I see Public Health Advisors, Public Health Analyst , Health Scientist, Biologist, Microbiologist,Epidemiologist, IT Professionals and other key leadership personnel with MT(ASCP)or NCA behind there names.. And thats not just at the CDC. I am now a Researcher, dealing with people on an international level,meeting people from the FDA, NIH, Colleges, Universities, Pharm and Bio. Companies and multiple other places, in all kinds of unbelievable roles, with MT (ASCP) or NCA behind there names. The hospitals are a great starting point, but don't let that fool you into thinking that thats the extent of this career field. If you want to have a great career in this field, get out and take a look around. You may be surprised with what you see.

Medical Technologist in Atlanta, Georgia: My major goal right now is to graduate as an ASCP certified MT. I read your article and it matches exactly what I would love to do someday. My goal is to work for the CDC. I was wondering how you would go about applying for a job there? My degree will be a bachelors as well. Would I need more schooling to get this sort of job? Thanks for your time!

Hey, does anybody know if places in DC, MD or Va hire a lot of MLTs or just mainly MTs. Im thinking about getting into this field as a mlt and need advice. And also do you know the starting salary for one.

Not sure about the ratio of MTs to MLTs, but Baltimore MD is one of the highest paying areas in the country for MTs. I believe MTs start at $24/hr & those w/ experience can earn in the 70's. Also, Baltimore has a zillion hospitals. VA pays a whole lot less. Not sure about DC but prob less than but comparable to Baltimore.

netcorrupter in Baltimore, Maryland said: Not sure about the ratio of MTs to MLTs, but Baltimore MD is one of the highest paying areas in the country for MTs. I believe MTs start at $24/hr & those w/ experience can earn in the 70's. Also, Baltimore has a zillion hospitals. VA pays a whole lot less. Not sure about DC but prob less than but comparable to Baltimore.

I think it's closer to $20-21/hour starting on average. Don't know of too many Baltimore area hospitals offering $24/hour base to a new grad to start. With evening/night differentials, sure. Or GBMC might offer that much. I hear they pay more than most places.

Quite a few of the smaller DC hospitals outsource their lab work to Quest or Lab Corp. The ones that don't tend to not have very many openings.

College Student in Russellville, Arkansas said: Medical Technologist in Atlanta, Georgia: My major goal right now is to graduate as an ASCP certified MT. I read your article and it matches exactly what I would love to do someday. My goal is to work for the CDC. I was wondering how you would go about applying for a job there? My degree will be a bachelors as well. Would I need more schooling to get this sort of job? Thanks for your time!

I would also be interested in finding out more about the different opportunities combining CLS with Public Health. I am currently working on my MPH and I have 5 yrs exp. as an MT but I'm not certified. I am doing my capstone thesis at the lab I currently work at but I'm not sure of future outlook for my career path. I would love some more input about others in the public health focus of clinical laboratory science, especially since I am located so close to the metro/ DC area. Thanks

Every newbie has to pay his dues. Yes working eves or nites or lots of weekends in the beginning is a great way to increase income. I make $3/hr more for evenings in Baltimore plus another $2/hr for weekends. Do the math..that's $40 xtra for one $8 hour weekend shift. It adds up

zeelani in Washington, District of Columbia said: Hey, does anybody know if places in DC, MD or Va hire a lot of MLTs or just mainly MTs. Im thinking about getting into this field as a mlt and need advice. And also do you know the starting salary for one.

Quest is one of the largest clinical laboratories in the region and I happen to know that they prefer to hire MLTs over MTs. MLTs do the same work and typically earn less pay. The wages are still competitive so I would say that the opportunities for MLTs are just as numerous as those for MTs. As everyone indicates, the Baltimore area pays lab scientists well but the pay is not as high iin Virginia. Starting pay depends on where you work and a lot of other factors, but in my experience, MLTs typically make $2-3 less per hour than MTs. And in VA, MTs can start anywhere from $18-22 per hour. Hope the info helps.

Thanks for all of the replies. I do have one last question though. Do you know which schools in the dc metro are really good (and accredited) and worth going to? Possibly one that's also not too expensive.

Patient First is all over this region & I believe they hire a lot of MLTs. Their pay sucks for MTs (they told me around $23 for a tech w/ 15+ yrs experience), so I doubt they get many MTs w/ experience.