Histology Technicians
Health ScienceO*NET 29-2012.01United States
Prepare histological slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists. May assist with research studies.
- Median annual earnings
- $62,842
- Projected change
- +6.1%
- Typical education
- Associate degree
- Employment
- 346.09K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
48% of the workforce
Growing to 367.16K by 2035
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The work
What histology technicians do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Cut sections of body tissues for microscopic examination, using microtomes.
- Embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax.
- Mount tissue specimens on glass slides.
- Stain tissue specimens with dyes or other chemicals to make cell details visible under microscopes.
- Freeze tissue specimens.
- Operate computerized laboratory equipment to dehydrate, decalcify, or microincinerate tissue samples.
- Archive diagnostic material, such as histologic slides and blocks.
- Maintain laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, mass spectrometers, microtomes, immunostainers, tissue processors, embedding centers, and water baths.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $38,718
- 25th percentile
- $47,478
- 50th percentile
- $62,842
- 75th percentile
- $81,611
- 90th percentile
- $101,595
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $62,842 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+6.1%faster than average
2025346,085 jobs
2035 projected367,162 jobs
21,077 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Associate degree
- 48%
- Certificate
- 16%
- High school diploma or less
- 12%
- Some college
- 12%
- Bachelor's degree
- 4%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 4%
- Doctoral degree or more
- 4%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Operations Monitoring
- Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
- Operation and Control
- Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Troubleshooting
- Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Histology Technicians1,367 postings
- 02Histology Laboratory Assistants158 postings
- 03Mohs Technicians65 postings
- 04Histotechnicians45 postings
- 05Pathology Technicians15 postings
- 06Technicians15 postings
- 07Necropsy Technicians13 postings
- 08Histologists11 postings
- 09Medical Technologists/Medical Laboratory Technicians10 postings
- 10Pathology Laboratory Technicians10 postings
- 11Research Historians10 postings
- 12Grossing Technicians8 postings
- 13Histology Assistants8 postings
- 14Surgical Pathology Technologists5 postings
- 15Anatomic Pathology Technicians4 postings
- 16Histopathology Technicians4 postings
- 17Medical Technologists ASCP4 postings
- 18Dermatologists/Mohs Surgeons3 postings
- 19Laboratory Technicians3 postings
- 20Lead Histotechnologists3 postings
Top employers
- 01K&A Recruiting398 postings
- 02Aya Healthcare180 postings
- 03Sonic Healthcare USA39 postings
- 04HCA Healthcare29 postings
- 05Soliant Health21 postings
- 06Health Advocates Network20 postings
- 07Actalent16 postings
- 08Charles River Laboratories16 postings
- 09Complete Histology Solutions LLC15 postings
- 10Navitas Partners14 postings
- 11Pathgroup14 postings
- 12Kaiser Permanente13 postings
- 13National Coalition Of Healthcare Recruiters13 postings
- 14Ansible Government Solutions10 postings
- 15Forefront Dermatology10 postings
- 16Medical City Healthcare10 postings
- 17White Glove Placement10 postings
- 18Dermcare Management9 postings
- 19NavitsPartners9 postings
- 20Pacer Staffing9 postings
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