Identification

• Education requirements for finding a job as a laboratory technician range from no post-high school education, to a certificate or diploma program to a two-year associate degree. For the most part, employer preference, your job duties and long-term career aspirations determine degree requirements. No matter what the minimum education requirements are, however, understand the more you know the more you stand out from other candidates and the better your chance of getting the job.
  
  

The Facts

• Programs leading toward a laboratory technician diploma or associate degree differ mainly according to their structure and course requirements. A diploma program takes about one year of full time study to complete, includes only those courses essential to your role as a laboratory technician and may combine multiple subject areas into each course. In contrast, an associate degree takes about two years of full-time study, includes a limited number of general education courses and generally introduces subject areas within individual courses. If you are thinking about getting a bachelor's degree at some point in the future, understand that while credits from an associate degree will often transfer to a four-year college, coursework in a diploma program may not.
  
  

Features

• No matter what the structure, each program features subject areas that relate directly to your role as a laboratory technician. This includes coursework in anatomy and physiology, hematology, immunology, serology, microbiology and chemistry. Additional instruction helps develop equipment usage and computer skills. An associate degree program may also include coursework in communications, mathematics and social sciences.
  
  

Considerations

• Some states have a laboratory technician licensing or certification requirement. If your state has such a requirement, make sure the program you choose follows state guidelines. Check with your state or local health department to find licensing requirements and with the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences to find programs that meet industry accreditation standards. The NAACLS also offers industry certification opportunities that can document your level of expertise as a laboratory technician and further increase employment potential.