Healthcare

How to become a Medical Laboratory Technician

From no experience: every step, how long it takes, and the credential it earns.

Time to get there

2 years

Typical pay

$46k–$62k

Starting from

No experience

Pay is an estimate of typical US entry-level pay for this role and varies by state, employer and shift. The timeline assumes you are starting from no experience and includes any licence or programme legally required, not just course length.

The route

1. 1

   2 years

   Enrol in a NAACLS-accredited MLT program

   Two-year associate degree — chemistry, hematology, microbiology and a clinical rotation.

2. 2

   during program

   Complete the clinical rotation

   Unpaid bench time in a real hospital lab. It is where you learn to trust a result.

3. 3

   Sit the ASCP board of certification

   The MLT(ASCP) exam. Most hospital labs will not hire without it.

   ◆ MLT (ASCP)

4. 4

   1–2 years

   Start on nights or weekends

   Off-shift openings are how new techs get hired; day shift comes with seniority.

5. ✓

   Destination

   Medical Laboratory Technician

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