Quick answer:Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians in Illinois earn a median $71,950 per year, above the national median of $62,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 10,330 of them. Licensing runs through your state health department or clinical laboratory personnel board.
Clinical Laboratory Science Pay and Employment in Illinois at a Glance
Metric
Illinois
National
Source
Median annual wage
$71,950
$62,930
BLS OEWS, May 2025
10th percentile
$44,980
$38,910
BLS OEWS, May 2025
25th percentile
$53,820
$47,650
BLS OEWS, May 2025
75th percentile
$82,880
$81,450
BLS OEWS, May 2025
90th percentile
$99,970
$100,990
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Employment
10,330
332,940
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Location quotient
0.79
1.00
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Projected change (2024-34)
not published by state
1.7%
BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34
How Illinois Pay Compares to the Rest of the Country
The Illinois median of $71,950 sits above the national median of $62,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.79 puts Illinois below the national average, so the occupation is less concentrated here than in the typical state. Expect a thinner local job market and fewer employers to move between (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Clinical laboratory employment concentrates around hospital systems and the reference laboratories that serve a region, so the local picture follows the health system rather than population alone.
Laboratory personnel requirements are set at state level and differ more than in most allied-health fields, with some states operating their own personnel licensure and others relying on federal laboratory regulation alone. The national constants are programmatic accreditation through NAACLS and certification through the ASCP Board of Certification, which employers generally treat as the working credential.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state health department or clinical laboratory personnel board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Earning the Degree While You Work
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
Schools Near You
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention.
Advertising plays no part.
This page lists 7 schools
within 133 miles, closest group first, then ordered by
BOC Score with the highest at the top.
7 of them carry a score.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%
Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal
about the institution rather than about this subject.
Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from
this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.
How much do clinical laboratory technologists and technicians make in Illinois?
The median annual wage for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in Illinois is $71,950, above the national median of $62,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $53,820 at the 25th percentile to $82,880 at the 75th.
How many clinical laboratory technologists and technicians work in Illinois?
Illinois holds about 10,330 clinical laboratory scientist jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 332,940, and BLS projects about 22,600 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
Do I need a license to work as a clinical laboratory scientist in Illinois?
Laboratory personnel requirements are set at state level and differ more than in most allied-health fields, with some states operating their own personnel licensure and others relying on federal laboratory regulation alone. The national constants are programmatic accreditation through NAACLS and certification through the ASCP Board of Certification, which employers generally treat as the working credential. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state health department or clinical laboratory personnel board before you enroll in any program.
Can I earn a NAACLS-accredited degree in medical laboratory science online while working in Illinois?
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state health department or clinical laboratory personnel board.
What is the highest-paying area of Illinois for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians?
Among Illinois metro areas with published data, Rockford reports the highest median at $76,380 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Is Illinois a good state for clinical laboratory technologists and technicians?
On pay, the state median of $71,950 sits above the national $62,930 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.79 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (SOC 29-2010), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
