Cytotechnologists
Stain, mount, and study cells to detect evidence of cancer, hormonal abnormalities, and other pathological conditions following established standards and practices.
Most important skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Speaking
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Active Learning
Key knowledge
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Administrative
- Chemistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
What the work involves
- Examine cell samples to detect abnormalities in the color, shape, or size of cellular components and patterns.
- Examine specimens, using microscopes, to evaluate specimen quality.
- Prepare and analyze samples, such as Papanicolaou (PAP) smear body fluids and fine needle aspirations (FNAs), to detect abnormal conditions.
- Provide patient clinical data or microscopic findings to assist pathologists in the preparation of pathology reports.
- Assist pathologists or other physicians to collect cell samples by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy or other method.
- Document specimens by verifying patients' and specimens' information.
- Maintain effective laboratory operations by adhering to standards of specimen collection, preparation, or laboratory safety.
- Prepare cell samples by applying special staining techniques, such as chromosomal staining, to differentiate cells or cell components.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Investigative, Realistic, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Bachelor's Degree (50% of respondents)
- Related experience
- None (45.5%)
- On-the-job training
- None or short demonstration (27.3%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 5: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Cytotechnologists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
- Projection education uses SOC 29-2010 (aggregate); it may describe a broader group.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very low | Lower on contact with others than 97% of occupations compared | 32% of surveyed respondents chose “Occasional contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very low | Lower on dealing with the public than 84% of occupations compared | 36% of surveyed respondents chose “Important” |
| Teamwork | Very low | Lower on teamwork than 89% of occupations compared | 43% of surveyed respondents chose “Very important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | High | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 76% of occupations compared | 57% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | Moderate | Lower on time pressure than 57% of occupations compared | 41% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | Very low | Lower on conflict situations than 93% of occupations compared | 55% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very low | Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 86% of occupations compared | 50% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 93% of occupations compared | 59% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: moderate
- Conflict situations: very low
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very low
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 4.55%
- Occasional contact with others: 31.82%
- Contact with others about half the time: 9.09%
- Contact with others most of the time: 31.82%
- Constant contact with others: 22.73%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 31.82%
- Fairly important: 18.18%
- Important: 36.36%
- Very important: 4.55%
- Extremely important: 9.09%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 14.29%
- Fairly important: 0%
- Important: 23.81%
- Very important: 42.86%
- Extremely important: 19.05%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0%
- Limited freedom: 14.29%
- Some freedom: 28.57%
- A lot of freedom: 57.14%
n = 21, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Time pressure
- Never: 9.09%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 4.55%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 27.27%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 18.18%
- Every day: 40.91%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Conflict situations
- Never: 27.27%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 54.55%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 4.55%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 13.64%
- Every day: 0%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 22.73%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 50%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 13.64%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 13.64%
- Every day: 0%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 4.55%
- Fairly serious: 4.55%
- Serious: 18.18%
- Very serious: 13.64%
- Extremely serious: 59.09%
n = 22, Occupational Expert 08/2021
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O*NET-SOC 29-2011.02 · SOC 29-2010 (aggregate, low confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8