Histology Technicians

Prepare histological slides from tissue sections for microscopic examination and diagnosis by pathologists. May assist with research studies.

Most important skills

Active Listening
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Monitoring
Complex Problem Solving
Speaking
Science
Judgment and Decision Making

Key knowledge

Chemistry
Biology
English Language
Administrative
Administration and Management
Education and Training
Computers and Electronics
Mathematics

What the work involves

Archive diagnostic material, such as histologic slides and blocks.
Cut sections of body tissues for microscopic examination, using microtomes.
Embed tissue specimens into paraffin wax blocks, or infiltrate tissue specimens with wax.
Freeze tissue specimens.
Maintain laboratory equipment, such as microscopes, mass spectrometers, microtomes, immunostainers, tissue processors, embedding centers, and water baths.
Mount tissue specimens on glass slides.
Operate computerized laboratory equipment to dehydrate, decalcify, or microincinerate tissue samples.
Stain tissue specimens with dyes or other chemicals to make cell details visible under microscopes.

Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.

Qualifications and licensing

Most common education: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (48% of respondents)
Related experience: None (20%)
On-the-job training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (28%)
Preparation level: O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Licensing: Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.

Check before planning

Licensing for Histology Technicians 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.

Rankings compare typical U.S. occupation-level work conditions; individual jobs and employers vary. Data: O*NET 31.0 Work Context and BLS wages (May 2025).
Condition	Level	Compared with other occupations	Most common answer (O*NET survey)
Contact with others	Very low	Lower on contact with others than 82% of occupations compared	36% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others”
Dealing with the public	Very low	Lower on dealing with the public than 90% of occupations compared	52% of surveyed respondents chose “Not important at all”
Teamwork	Low	Lower on teamwork than 65% of occupations compared	40% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important”
Freedom to make decisions	Very low	Lower on freedom to make decisions than 84% of occupations compared	44% of surveyed respondents chose “Some freedom”
Time pressure	Very high	Higher on time pressure than 89% of occupations compared	71% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day”
Conflict situations	Low	Lower on conflict situations than 68% of occupations compared	52% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people	Low	Lower on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 63% of occupations compared	48% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a year or more but not every month”
Consequence of error	Very high	Higher on consequence of error than 94% of occupations compared	60% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious”

Work-pressure profile

Time pressure: very high
Conflict situations: low
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: 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