Career comparison
Biological Technician vs. Pathologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Pathologists earn more at the median ($312,400 vs. $57,510), while biological technicians usually get to work faster (4 years of training). Biological technicians run experiments and lab work that power biology and biotech research. Pathologists diagnose disease by studying tissue, blood and body fluids.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biological Technician | Pathologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $57,510 ($27.65/hr) | $312,400 ($150.19/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $40,330 – $84,940 | $92,540 – $449,970 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +7.4% (much faster than average) | +4.8% (about as fast as average) |
| Openings per year | 9,400 | 300 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 4 years | 12 years after high school |
| Key credential | ASCP Technologist in Molecular Biology | ABPath board certification |
| Work setting | Biological technicians work in labs, sometimes with biohazards and research animals.. | Pathologists work in hospital labs, reference labs, academic centers and medical examiner offices.. |
What each job does
Biological Technician
- Prepare samples and reagents
- Run experiments and assays
- Culture cells and microorganisms
- Operate lab instruments
- Record and analyze data
Pathologist
- Examine tissue under the microscope
- Diagnose cancer and disease
- Interpret lab test results
- Direct clinical laboratories
- Perform frozen sections during surgery
How they’re similar
Both careers involve indoor work, working with information, and problem-solving. They sit in different fields, science, engineering & lab and healthcare, but share transferable skills such as attention to detail and attention to detail.
Which should you choose?
Choose biological technician if…
- I love biology
- I like hands-on experiments
- I’m patient and precise
Choose pathologist if…
- I love solving diagnostic puzzles
- I prefer less patient contact
- I’m extremely detail-oriented
Still torn? Take the Biological Technician fit quiz and the Pathologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biological technician or pathologist?
Pathologists earn more at the median: $312,400 versus $57,510 for biological technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Biological Technicians typically train faster (4 years) than pathologists (12 years after high school).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects biological technicians to grow +7.4% from 2025–35, compared with +4.8% for pathologists.