News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel

News, Analysis, Trends, Management Innovations for
Clinical Laboratories and Pathology Groups

Hosted by Robert Michel
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Bad News for Clinical Pathology Laboratories: Med Techs Rank Number 3 on List of Most-Educated and Least-Paid Professions

 UPDATE–DECEMBER 20, 2011:   Since the original publication of this Dark Daily e-briefing on December 19, 2011, the version of the story published by 24/7 Wall Street on November 15, 2011 has been edited following a letter, dated December 19, 2011, that was sent by the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS). 24/7 Wall Street has removed the profession it titled “Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians” from its list of the “most-educated and least-paid” professions. It has also added a correction at the bottom of the story that is titled “The Seven Jobs That Require the Most Education, but Pay the Least.”   Dark Daily is leaving this e-briefing unedited, as it accurately describes the original list of seven “most-educated, least-paid” professions that was published by 24/7 Wall Street. 


More than 156,000 well-educated medical technologists and clinical laboratory scientists earn less than most professions

Most medical technologists (MT) and clinical laboratory scientists (CLS) recognize that they don’t earn salaries that are comparable to many other professions that require a four-year college degree and additional professional training. Now a recent survey confirms that widely-held belief by ranking med techs and CLSs as the number three job on the list of most-educated and least-paid professions.

In a recent 24/7 Wall St. article, “The Seven Jobs That Require the Most Education, but Pay the Least,” Reporter Michael B. Sauter identified seven occupations that typically require at least a four-year college degree but which offer some of the lowest professional salaries. Sauter noted that the average college graduate in 2010 owed $25,250 in student loans, an all-time high.

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Bad News for Clinical Pathology Laboratory Workers: Salaries Not Keeping Pace with Cost of Living Increases

Blame it on the recession of 2008-2010, but the findings are not auspicious for medical laboratories

Salaries and compensation paid to medical technologists (MT) and other skilled clinical laboratory professionals are not keeping pace with yearly increases in the cost of living. This is distressing news for every pathologist and clinical laboratory manager concerned about the constantly growing shortage of MTs and Clinical Laboratory Scientists to staff the nation’s medical laboratories.

For example, one recent national salary survey determined that 24% of laboratorians received no salary increase in 2010! About 42% received an annual increase of between 2% and 4%. Another 20% received just 2% or less. This survey also reported that 28% of medical laboratory professionals received bonuses. These bonuses were based on their salaries or days off in lieu of extra pay. Overall, however, since 2008, this salary survey concluded that salaries for clinical laboratory professionals have increased since 2008.

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