Medical Laboratory Technician Jobs in Austin, TX
Medical laboratory technicians in Austin run the tests behind most diagnoses, in hospital labs from central Austin to Round Rock and at reference labs like Clinical Pathology Laboratories. Here are the current openings, followed by who hires, what the work pays, and how to train at ACC Eastview.
Current medical laboratory technician Openings in Austin, TX
Listings marked External are sponsored openings provided by the Jobs2Careers network.
Medical Laboratory Technician Work in Austin
Lab work in Austin comes from three kinds of employers. Hospitals run around-the-clock labs, and St. David's HealthCare staffs MLT and technologist positions at St. David's Medical Center in central Austin and St. David's Round Rock Medical Center on the University Blvd corridor. Reference and specialty labs add steady daytime bench work: Clinical Pathology Laboratories hires MLS and MLT staff in Austin, and Texas Oncology runs a laboratory department on Renfert Way plus clinic labs in Cedar Park and Lakeway.
Physician groups are the third source. Austin Regional Clinic keeps lab techs in its clinics across the metro, including weekend shifts. With the Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos metro past 2.5 million people and still the fastest-growing big metro in Texas, hospital and clinic labs keep hiring, and ACC reports that 97% of its recent MLT graduates found jobs within a year.
Top Austin Employers for Medical Laboratory Technicians
These Austin-area employers hire medical laboratory technicians and the technologists they work beside:
- St. David's HealthCare - the HCA system hires MLTs, including PRN techs, for hospital labs such as St. David's Round Rock Medical Center and St. David's Medical Center.
- Clinical Pathology Laboratories - the reference lab hires full-time first-shift MLS and MLT staff in Austin and asks for ASCP certification or equivalent.
- Texas Oncology - the cancer practice hires MLTs and MLS techs for its Austin laboratory and for float roles covering Cedar Park and Lakeway clinics.
- Austin Regional Clinic - the multispecialty physician group hires MLT and MLS techs for its clinic labs, including part-time weekend shifts.
- Labcorp - the national lab company hires clinical laboratory technologists and histology staff in Austin.
Medical Laboratory Technician Salaries in Austin
- Entry level: about $20 to $24 an hour for newly certified MLTs.
- Experienced: roughly $25 to $32 an hour with a few years on the bench and shift work.
- Senior and MLS level: $35 to $45 an hour for lead techs and bachelor's-level medical laboratory scientists.
These are estimates built from 2025 federal wage data for the Austin metro, which groups technicians and technologists together, with a median near $28.64 an hour. Pay moves with credential level (MLT versus MLS), ASCP certification, evening and night shifts in hospital labs, and specialty departments such as blood bank and microbiology.
How to Become a Medical Laboratory Technician in Austin
Most MLT jobs require an associate degree in medical laboratory technology or clinical laboratory science, plus national certification. Austin Community College runs a NAACLS-accredited Medical Laboratory Technology program at the Eastview Campus on Webberville Road in East Austin, and its graduates sit for the ASCP Board of Certification exam, with a 98% first-time pass rate over the last three years. ACC's one-semester Phlebotomy Technician certificate is a prerequisite and a common first step. Texas does not issue a state license for medical laboratory technicians, so the credential employers check is ASCP or AMT certification, along with the CLIA rules for testing personnel.
What the Job Involves
MLTs process blood, urine and tissue specimens and run them on chemistry, hematology, coagulation and urinalysis analyzers. A shift includes calibrating and running quality control on instruments, verifying results and flagging critical values for nurses and physicians, setting up cultures in microbiology, crossmatching units in blood bank, and documenting everything in the lab information system. Many techs also draw blood when phlebotomy coverage is short.
Skills Employers Look For
- MLT(ASCP) or AMT certification, or eligibility within the first year
- Hands-on experience with chemistry and hematology analyzers
- Quality control and troubleshooting habits
- Accuracy and attention to detail under time pressure
- Phlebotomy skills for clinic and outpatient labs
- Comfort with lab information systems and electronic records
- Willingness to work evenings, nights or weekends
Career Path and Advancement
Many Austin techs start as phlebotomists or lab assistants, finish the ACC MLT program, and move onto the bench. From there the ladder runs to generalist MLT in a hospital lab, specialist in blood bank or microbiology, and, with a bachelor's degree, medical laboratory scientist. Experienced techs move into lead, supervisor and quality roles at hospital labs in central Austin and Round Rock or at the reference and oncology labs.
Related Careers in Austin
If lab work interests you, these related Austin roles are close matches:
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a license to be a medical laboratory technician in Texas?
No. Texas does not license medical laboratory technicians, unlike some other states. Austin employers instead ask for national certification, usually MLT(ASCP) or AMT, and for the education federal CLIA rules require of testing personnel.
How much do medical laboratory technicians make in Austin?
New MLTs generally start around $20 to $24 an hour, and experienced techs earn about $25 to $32. Federal 2025 data puts the Austin metro median for lab technicians and technologists combined near $28.64 an hour, with bachelor's-level scientists earning more.
How long does it take to become an MLT in Austin?
The usual path is an associate degree, which takes about two years including prerequisites. ACC's Medical Laboratory Technology program at Eastview admits students who have finished its phlebotomy certificate, and graduates can then sit for the ASCP exam.
What is the difference between an MLT and an MLS?
An MLT holds an associate degree and runs most day-to-day testing on the bench. A medical laboratory scientist holds a bachelor's degree, takes on more complex testing, troubleshooting and quality work, often supervises, and usually earns several dollars an hour more.
Do Austin labs hire for night and weekend shifts?
Yes. Hospital labs run 24 hours a day, so St. David's and other hospitals hire for evening, night and PRN coverage. Austin Regional Clinic has hired part-time weekend techs for its clinic labs, while Clinical Pathology Laboratories has hired for first shift.
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