What Does a Histology Technician Do?
A single mislabeled tissue cassette can undo an otherwise careful biopsy, which is a serious error, since a second check at the bench could have prevented it. Histology technicians guard against that, turning tissue from surgery and biopsies into thin, stained slides that pathologists read under the microscope. Their workplaces are hospital pathology labs, reference labs and research institutes.
Histology Technician Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of a histology technician include:
- Accession tissue specimens and match every cassette and slide to the requisition.
- Load tissue processors, check reagent levels and start the overnight programs.
- Embed tissue in paraffin blocks with the correct orientation for cutting.
- Cut thin sections on a rotary microtome and float them onto labeled slides.
- Stain slides with routine H&E and special stains, then coverslip and check quality.
- Prepare frozen sections in the cryostat during surgery when the pathologist needs a quick answer.
- Run immunohistochemistry stainers and record reagent lots and control results.
- Clean and maintain microtomes, cryostats, stainers and water baths.
- Handle formalin and xylene safely and log chemical waste.
- File blocks and slides so they can be retrieved for review or legal requests.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as a histology technician, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- HT (ASCP) certification
- Microtomy and embedding technique
- Routine and special staining
- Frozen sections on a cryostat
- Discipline with labels and specimen tracking
- Fine motor control and patience at the microscope
- Chemical safety for formalin and xylene
- Laboratory information system experience
Education and Training
HT (histotechnician) certification is the usual goal, and an associate degree or certificate program in histotechnology is the standard preparation for it. Some hospital labs also train people on the job. In BLS data the wider lab group typically enters with a bachelor's degree, and that degree counts for more once a technician aims at the HTL credential or a supervisor post.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $47,650 - $81,450 per year, with a median of $62,930.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians.
According to BLS, employment of clinical laboratory technologists and technicians, the wider group that includes histology staff, is projected to grow about 3 percent from 2025 to 2035. The group should see roughly 20,800 openings a year. Relatively few programs train histotechnicians, so certified technicians who cut clean sections tend to find work quickly.
Outlook source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians.