Career comparison
Medical Laboratory Technician vs. Radiologic Technologist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Radiologic technologists earn more at the median ($80,110 vs. $62,930), while medical laboratory technicians usually get to work faster (2 years (technician) or 4 years (technologist) of training). Medical laboratory technicians run the lab tests doctors use to diagnose and treat patients. Radiologic technologists take the X-rays and diagnostic images doctors use to find fractures, disease and injuries.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Radiologic Technologist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $62,930 ($30.26/hr) | $80,110 ($38.52/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $38,910 – $100,990 | $55,980 – $118,660 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.7% (about as fast as average) | +5.0% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 20,800 | 13,000 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Associate's degree |
| Training time | 2 years (technician) or 4 years (technologist) | 2 years |
| Key credential | ASCP Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) | ARRT Radiography (R) |
| Work setting | Technicians work in hospital labs, reference labs, clinics and blood banks, handling biological samples with safety precautions.. | Technologists work in hospital radiology departments, emergency departments, imaging centers and clinics. |
What each job does
Medical Laboratory Technician
- Process patient samples
- Run tests on automated analyzers
- Perform manual tests and microscopy
- Run quality control
- Check and report results
Radiologic Technologist
- Review imaging orders and confirm patient identity
- Explain procedures and answer patient questions
- Position patients and equipment for the correct views
- Set exposure factors and capture diagnostic images
- Apply radiation protection for patients, staff and yourself
How they’re similar
Both careers involve indoor work, hands-on work, shift work, and high responsibility. They sit in different fields, science, engineering & lab and healthcare, but share transferable skills such as attention to detail and communication with anxious patients.
Which should you choose?
Choose medical laboratory technician if…
- I love science
- I’m precise and careful
- I want health care without direct patient care
Choose radiologic technologist if…
- I’m interested in anatomy and how the body works
- I like technology and equipment
- I can stay calm with patients in pain
Still torn? Take the Medical Laboratory Technician fit quiz and the Radiologic Technologist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, medical laboratory technician or radiologic technologist?
Radiologic Technologists earn more at the median: $80,110 versus $62,930 for medical laboratory technicians, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Medical Laboratory Technicians typically train faster (2 years (technician) or 4 years (technologist)) than radiologic technologists (2 years).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects radiologic technologists to grow +5.0% from 2025–35, compared with +2.7% for medical laboratory technicians.