Medical laboratory technicians ensure samples are stored in the required manner.
Medical laboratory technicians help research scientists in their quest to understand and treat diseases. They do so by performing clinical and administrative functions. Their duties include conducting chemical analyses of body tissues and fluids to determine the presence of normal and abnormal components, performing other routine tests such as determining blood type, preparing equipment and samples for research scientists, cleaning the laboratory, and maintaining computer and paper files of the results of tests. Hourly pay rates for the occupation vary according to factors such as experience and location.
Average Pay
In its national employment assessment conducted in May 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics gathered pay data from more than 150,000 medical laboratory technicians working in the United States. It concluded that the average hourly salary for the position was $18.20. This extrapolates into a monthly salary of $3,155 and an annual income of $37,860. The bureau's figures correspond with those produced by PayScale.com in March 2011. It put the hourly rate for a technician at between $14.16 and $19.47, dependent upon bonus.
Pay by Industry
The bureau's survey found that the majority of medical research technicians work in general medical and surgical hospitals. It listed the average pay rate for this sector of health care as $18.66 per hour. Positions within scientific research and development services, and those in federal government agencies paid higher rates -- $20.00 and $19.52, respectively, while those in the offices of physicians and medical and diagnostic laboratories were listed with slightly lower averages -- $17.82 and $17.11, respectively.
Pay by Experience
PayScale.com also analyzed how experience affects pay rates for medical laboratory technicians. It found that wage levels increase commensurate with experience. The average pay for an individual with less than 12 months in the job was listed at between $11.21 and $16.03. Someone with one to four years earned between $12.84 and $17.54, while accruing five to nine years experience brought compensation levels of between $14.52 and $18.87. With 10 to 19 years a technician received between $16.78 and $21.21, while 20 years or more in the profession meant pay levels of $17.80 to $23.12.
Pay by Location
Geography is also an important factor in determining technician pay rates. The bureau listed Rhode Island, Maryland and Connecticut as the top three states, with average wages across all industry sectors of $26.68, $22.05 and $21.82, respectively. In contrast, Tennessee was listed at just $16.34. The Champaign, Urbana area of Illinois topped the table of lucrative metropolitan districts with an average of $30.00. The Athens, Clarke County area of Georgia was listed at $13.68.
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