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What is a histotechnician and how to become one
A his/her totechnician is someone that is part of a medical laboratory team that works with human, animal, or plant specimens to diagnose disease and abnormalities.
Histotechnicians prepare thin slices of human, animal, or plant tissues on slides for analysis. They do this by examining, fixing, and processing the tissue for proper sample preservation, surrounding the tissue with paraffin wax in a process called embedding. To achieve accurate testing, the his/her totechnician must have the skills and training to perform complex scientific testing. Educational requirements include a bachelor's degree in an approved major such as biology, chemistry, or a related discipline. Moreover, work experience of one year or more in a his/her topathology lab or successful completion of a formal his/her totechnology educational program is desirable. They must also pass national exam.
The average hourly salary for the position is $25.05, which amounts to $52,106 annually. The overall job outlook for the career has been positive, with vacancies emerging nationwide. It is expected to grow further in the near future.
Avg. Salary $49,119
Avg. Salary $59,228
Growth Rate 17%
Growth Rate 0.3%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.80%
Asian 12.00%
Black or African American 10.71%
Hispanic or Latino 17.13%
Unknown 5.11%
White 54.24%
Genderfemale 72.46%
male 27.54%
Age - 44American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%
Asian 7.00%
Black or African American 14.00%
Hispanic or Latino 19.00%
White 57.00%
Genderfemale 47.00%
male 53.00%
Age - 44Stress level is high
7.1 - high
Complexity Level is advanced
7 - challenging
Work Life balance is excellent
6.4 - fair
Histotechnician career paths
Key steps to become a histotechnician
Explore histotechnician education requirements
Start to develop specific histotechnician skills
Skills 
Percentages ASCP 18.11% Tissue Specimens 6.27% CLIA 5.83% Microtome 5.62% Specimen Handling 4.59% Complete relevant histotechnician training and internships
Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New histotechnicians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a histotechnician based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real histotechnician resumes.Research histotechnician duties and responsibilities
- Recognize & investigate instrument malfunctions, perform calibrations, manage QC, and maintain comprehensive written records of tests & procedures.
- Perform special staining procedures on specimens with the use of Hematoxylin and Eosin stains.
- General histology technician duties including embedding, cutting and routine, special, and IHC staining.
- Perform routine histology, immunohistochemistry, and special stains by hand, per standard operating procedures.
Prepare your histotechnician resume
When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your histotechnician resume.
You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a histotechnician resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Histotechnician Resume templates
Build a professional Histotechnician resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Histotechnician resume.
Apply for histotechnician jobs
Now it's time to start searching for a histotechnician job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:
- Browse job boards for relevant postings
- Consult your professional network
- Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
- Watch out for job scams
How Did You Land Your First Histotechnician Job
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Average histotechnician salary
The average Histotechnician salary in the United States is $49,119 per year or $24 per hour. Histotechnician salaries range between $30,000 and $80,000 per year.
What Am I Worth?
How do histotechnicians rate their job?
Histotechnician reviews
Hands on work and being able to learn new things everyday. Working side by side with the medical director was great too.
Not enough time to learn special Stains due to the department closing down
I love my work. I make art everyday, I enjoy being good at it and knowing that I help people and am a huge part of the diagnosis process. I’m thankful to have fallen into histology.
In general histotechs are under appreciated and that can affect the group atmosphere at work. I’ve worked with a lot of bitter histotechs. They’re great people, but after many years become angry and bitter. Hard to be around. I still love my job though.
Updated January 8, 2025
