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Cytogenetics Technologist

Types of Degrees Cytogenetics Technologist Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Cytogenetics Technologist may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	23
Master’s Degree	12

What Cytogenetics Technologist Majors Need to Know

Studies in Cytogenetics Technologist develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Cytogenetics Technologist graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Cytogenetics Technologist emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Biology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 2.9 / 7.

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

Skills

Skills developed in a Cytogenetics Technologist program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Cytogenetics Technologist careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Cytogenetics Technologist graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7
Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials	3.8 / 7
Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards	3.7 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.7 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Cytogenetics Technologist professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
MEDITECH software	Medical software	—
Laboratory information system LIS	Medical software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Specimen labeling system software	Label making software	—
Brady Specimen Labeling System	Label making software	—
Presentation software	Presentation software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Cytogenetics Technologist graduates include:

• Histotechnician
• Histologist
• Cytologist
• Histologic Aide
• Histologic Technician (HT)
• Histology Lab Assistant (Histology Laboratory Assistant)
• Mohs Technician (Mohs Tech)
• Histology Technician (HT)
• Histology Consultant
• Histology Coordinator
• Certified Histologic Technician (Certified Histologic Tech)
• Histology Assistant
• Histology Laboratory Aide
• Clinical Histology Technician (Clinical Histology Tech)
• Medical Technologist (MT)

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Cytogenetics Technologist graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	38.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	19.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	13.6%
Master’s degree	8.2%
Postsecondary certificate	6.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.0%
Some college courses	3.7%
Doctoral degree	3.4%
Post-doctoral training	1.9%
First professional degree	1.0%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Cytogenetics Technologist?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 80% of Cytogenetics Technologist degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	28	80.0%
Men	7	20.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Cytogenetics Technologist graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	12	34.3%
Asian	9	25.7%
Hispanic or Latino	4	11.4%
Black or African American	4	11.4%
Two or More Races	2	5.7%
International Students	4	11.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Cytogenetics Technologist Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Cytogenetics Technologist graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$42,942
4 years	$39,910
5 years	$44,672

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,672 — roughly 4% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Cytogenetics Technologist Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Cytogenetics Technologist. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Cytogenetics Technologist Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Cytogenetics Technologist graduates earn a median of $39,910 four years after completion — roughly 5% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{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
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	51.10
Blood Bank Technology Specialist	51.1001
Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist	51.1005
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science and Allied Professions, Other	51.1099
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician	51.1004
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist	51.1002
Hematology Technology/Technician	51.1003
Histologic Technician	51.1008
Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist	51.1007
Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician	51.1006
Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist	51.1009
Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician	51.1011

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.