In many examples, these programs are somewhat unique because of the working relationship that Northeastern has with other community colleges to share the responsibility of providing the training and internships for those careers.
In some cases the lecture part of the program may be completed on-line and students travel to the clinical sites for the internship. In other programs the student may be required to transfer to another college for at least a semester to complete the program requirements.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 24,000 openings for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
An increase in the population of older adults is expected to lead to a greater need for diagnosing medical conditions, such as cancer or type 2 diabetes, through laboratory procedures. Prenatal testing for various types of genetic conditions also is increasingly common. Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians will be in demand to use and maintain the equipment needed for diagnosis and treatment.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the median annual wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians was $57,380 in May 2022. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $35,220, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $84,670.
