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Pathology/Pathologist Assistant

Types of Degrees Pathology/Pathologist Assistant Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Pathology/Pathologist Assistant have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	153

What Pathology/Pathologist Assistant Majors Need to Know

Programs in Pathology/Pathologist Assistant build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Pathology/Pathologist Assistant emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Public Safety and Security — Importance 2.9 / 5; level 2.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Pathology/Pathologist Assistant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Monitoring — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Pathology/Pathologist Assistant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Speech Recognition — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Arm-Hand Steadiness — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	4.4 / 7
Handling and Moving Objects	4.4 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	4.4 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Pathology/Pathologist Assistant professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Graphics software	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Database software	Data base user interface and query software	—
Electronic medical record EMR software	Medical software	—
Patient scheduling software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Patient tracking software	Medical software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Supply documentation software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates include:

• Cardiovascular Operating Room Technologist (CVOR Technologist)
• Surgical Scrub Technician
• Scrub Technician
• Surgical Technologist (Surgical Tech)
• Surgical Technician
• Operating Room Surgical Technician (OR St)
• Surgical Scrub Technologist (Surgical Scrub Tech)
• Travel OR Tech (Travel Operating Room Technician)
• Surgery Technician (Surgery Tech)
• Travel Surgical Technologist
• Operating Room Surgical Technologist
• Travel Surgical Tech (Travel Surgical Technician)
• Certified Surgical Technologist (CST)
• Operating Room Technician (OR Tech)
• Surgical Orderly

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	40.6%
Postsecondary certificate	31.2%
Some college courses	23.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.0%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Pathology/Pathologist Assistant?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 85.6% of Pathology/Pathologist Assistant degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	131	85.6%
Men	22	14.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	105	68.6%
Asian	17	11.1%
Hispanic or Latino	16	10.5%
Black or African American	3	2.0%
Two or More Races	6	3.9%
Race Unknown	3	2.0%
International Students	3	2.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Pathology/Pathologist Assistant Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$27,434
4 years	$29,082
5 years	$32,352

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $32,352 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Pathology/Pathologist Assistant Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Pathology/Pathologist Assistant graduates earn a median of $29,082 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	51.08
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other	51.0899
Anesthesiologist Assistant	51.0809
Chiropractic Technician/Assistant	51.0813
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant	51.0802
Emergency Care Attendant (EMT Ambulance)	51.0810
Lactation Consultant	51.0815
Medical/Clinical Assistant	51.0801
Occupational Therapist Assistant	51.0803
Pharmacy Technician/Assistant	51.0805
Physical Therapy Assistant	51.0806
Radiologist Assistant	51.0814

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.