Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist Degrees (2026 stats)
TL;DR
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist — headline outcomes are in the stats below. Median in-state published tuition is about $5,250.
Key Statistics
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist: what the data shows
Common questions about cytotechnology/cytotechnologist degrees, answered from IPEDS, College Scorecard, BLS OEWS, and O*NET in this repository—not program marketing copy.
What is a cytotechnology/cytotechnologist degree?
A Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist program is classified under NCES CIP 51.1002 in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions field family (51.10).
A program that prepares individuals to work with pathologists to detect changes in body cells that may indicate, and permit diagnosis of, the early development of cancers and other diseases. Includes instruction in biochemistry, microbiology, applied mathematics, microscopy, slide preparation, identification of cellular structures and abnormalities, and laboratory procedures and safety
IPEDS counted 26 completions for this CIP in the survey year in our extract.
Types of cytotechnology/cytotechnologist degrees and related programs
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 family with pages on EDsmart Data:
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist (CIP 51.1001)
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist (CIP 51.1005)
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician (CIP 51.1004)
- Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist (CIP 51.1010)
- Hematology Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1003)
- Histologic Technician (CIP 51.1008)
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist (CIP 51.1007)
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1006)
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist (CIP 51.1009)
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician (CIP 51.1011)
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician (CIP 51.1012)
How long does it take to get a cytotechnology/cytotechnologist degree?
Award levels reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1002 in our file:
- 16 Associate (16.7% of IPEDS total)—about two years of full-time study
- 26 Bachelor's (27.1% of IPEDS total)—typically four years
- 54 Master's (56.2% of IPEDS total)—one to two years beyond a bachelor's
Time to completion depends on enrollment intensity and transfer credits; figures above describe credential type, not calendar time for every student.
Is a cytotechnology/cytotechnologist degree worth it?
College Scorecard national medians for the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions bachelor's program family: median debt $10,250, median earnings $75,975 four years after enrollment. Debt-to-earnings proxy: 0.16.
About 2.3% of graduates in this field family were not working and not enrolled one year after completion in Scorecard's national program medians.
Among schools reporting in our Scorecard extract, median published in-state tuition is $5,250 and median net price is $12,190.
We do not score "worth" on opinion—compare debt, earnings, wages for mapped occupations, and completion data above against your cost and career target.
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$5,250 Median In-State Public
$30,680 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors are, on average, $5,250 for in-state public colleges, and $30,680 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
100,000 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Canyon University | AZ | 73,371 |
| 2 | University of Central Florida | FL | 59,146 |
| 3 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 4 | Ivy Tech Community College | IN | 58,267 |
| 5 | Miami Dade College | FL | 46,182 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Camino Community College District | CA | $1,144 |
| 2 | San Diego City College | CA | $1,146 |
| 3 | San Diego Mesa College | CA | $1,146 |
| 4 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
| 5 | San Diego Miramar College | CA | $1,146 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist programs.
Top 5 Lowest Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico State University-Grants | NM | $68 |
| 2 | Infinity College | LA | $230 |
| 3 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 4 | Wiregrass Georgia Technical College | GA | $614 |
| 5 | Southern Regional Technical College | GA | $813 |
Schools with the lowest average net price for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist programs.
Graduation Rates
Graduation rate data is not available for this degree program.
Graduation/completion rates for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist programs across institutions.
Where students complete this major (IPEDS)
Bachelor's-level completions (IPEDS Completions, award level 5) summed by institution state. State is taken from IPEDS Directory (HD2023) for each reporting institution.
Geographic concentration
The largest number of reported bachelor's completions for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist is in TX (10 completions). That state represents about 38.5% of U.S. bachelor's completions reported for this CIP in the IPEDS file we use.
Among states, the highest concentration relative to all bachelor's degrees awarded in-state is AR (0.01% of that state's bachelor's completions).
Top states by count of bachelor's completions for this CIP (IPEDS).
| State | Bachelor's completions (this CIP) | % of U.S. total (this CIP) | % of state's all bachelor's |
|---|---|---|---|
| TX | 10 | 38.5% | 0.00% |
| IN | 7 | 26.9% | 0.01% |
| AR | 5 | 19.2% | 0.01% |
| WI | 3 | 11.5% | 0.00% |
| PA | 1 | 3.9% | 0.00% |
Related specializations
Other NCES program codes in the 51.10 CIP family with dedicated pages on EDsmart Data.
- Blood Bank Technology Specialist CIP 51.1001
- Clinical Laboratory Science/Medical Technology/Technologist CIP 51.1005
- Clinical/Medical Laboratory Technician CIP 51.1004
- Cytogenetics/Genetics/Clinical Genetics Technology/Technologist CIP 51.1010
- Hematology Technology/Technician CIP 51.1003
- Histologic Technician CIP 51.1008
- Histologic Technology/Histotechnologist CIP 51.1007
- Ophthalmic Laboratory Technology/Technician CIP 51.1006
- Phlebotomy Technician/Phlebotomist CIP 51.1009
- Renal/Dialysis Technologist/Technician CIP 51.1011
- Sterile Processing Technology/Technician CIP 51.1012
Degree Levels (IPEDS)
Completions reported to IPEDS for CIP 51.1002 in the survey year used in our extract (96 total across levels below).
- 16 Associate (16.7% of IPEDS total)
- 26 Bachelor's (27.1% of IPEDS total)
- 54 Master's (56.2% of IPEDS total)
Source: IPEDS Completions (c2024_a), summed by award level for this CIP.
Program outcomes (College Scorecard)
National medians across bachelor's programs in the Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions CIP family (6 programs reporting debt). Not specific to every Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist graduate.
- $10,250 median federal loan debt among completers
- $75,975 median earnings four years after enrollment (national program median)
- 0.16 debt-to-earnings ratio (Scorecard proxy)
- 2.3% of graduates not working and not enrolled one year out (program cohort)
Source: College Scorecard program-level outcomes aggregated by 4-digit CIP family.
Employment
Wages and industry mix below use BLS OEWS data for occupations linked to this major in our mapping—not a graduate earnings survey.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$N/A Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors is $N/A.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors.
Occupations by Share
N/A 2023 Workforce
The number of Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist by share of the total number of graduates.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist.
Age distribution for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
26 Total Degrees Awarded
6 Male (23.08%)
20 Female (76.92%)
Gender distribution of Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
Counts below are bachelor's-level completions only (IPEDS Completions, award level 5).
15 White (57.69%)
5 Hispanic or Latino (19.23%)
2 Asian (7.69%)
1 Black or African American (3.85%)
1 Two or More Races (3.85%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist majors.
About
A program that prepares individuals to work with pathologists to detect changes in body cells that may indicate, and permit diagnosis of, the early development of cancers and other diseases. Includes instruction in biochemistry, microbiology, applied mathematics, microscopy, slide preparation, identification of cellular structures and abnormalities, and laboratory procedures and safety
In 2023, 100,000 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist.
CIP Code
51.1002 - Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist
What the data shows
At the program-family level, College Scorecard reports median debt of $10,250 for bachelor's completers and median earnings near $75,975, a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.16. Those figures describe national program cohorts in this CIP family—not every individual Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist graduate.
Women earned 81.1% of 127 Cytotechnology/Cytotechnologist completions in the IPEDS file used here.
Published tuition medians in College Scorecard land at $5,250 in-state at public colleges and $30,680 at private institutions for programs in this field.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.