Medical Lab Programs in the Houston Area
7 accredited programs train clinical laboratory technologists and technicians in the Houston area. Here is how their graduates do on the certification exam, how many find jobs, and what each publishes as its cost.
The Short Version
- Houston City College, Coleman reports the highest certification exam rate in the area, 100% (2022-2023 to 2024-2025), against a Texas program median of 88.5%.
- Results vary widely: Texas Southern University reports 40.0%, 60 points below the area's best.
- None of the 7 programs publishes a total program cost; ask each for its cost sheet.
- Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians around Houston earn a median of $61,350, 3% above the Texas median of $59,290.
- San Jacinto College, Central and Lone Star College, Tomball are below NAACLS's benchmark or on probation; see their pages for details.
These lines are generated from the numbers on this page and change when the data does.
Every Medical Lab Program in the Area
Highest certification exam rate first. Tap a program for its full outcomes, cost breakdown and sources. 2
| Program | certification exam rate | Job placement | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston City College, Coleman AAS, MLT, Houston | 100% | 100% | Not published |
| UTMB BS, MLS, Galveston | 94.0% | Not reported | Not published |
| MD Anderson School of Health Professions BS, MLS, Houston | 86.0% | Not reported | Not published |
| San Jacinto College, Central AAS, MLT, Pasadena | 67.6% | 97.0% | Not published |
| Lone Star College, Tomball AAS, MLT, Tomball | 47.2% | 80.8% | Not published |
| Texas Southern University BS, MLS, Houston | 40.0% | Not reported | Not published |
| Houston Methodist Certificate, MLS, Houston | Not reported | Not reported | Not published |
Jobs and Pay in the Houston Area
About 7,410 clinical laboratory technologists and technicians work in the Houston area. The middle half earn between $46,970 and $77,920 a year; new graduates usually start toward the lower end. Texas expects about 2,450 openings a year statewide through 2034, from new positions, retirements and people changing jobs, with the number of jobs growing 15.6% (from 29,740 to 34,380).
Other Career Programs in the Houston Area
How to Read These Numbers
Graduates who passed a medical laboratory certification exam (usually the ASCP Board of Certification exam), as the program publishes it for NAACLS. Programs report a three-year figure or yearly rates; where only yearly rates are published we show the newest year rather than averaging them. Job placement: graduates who found jobs in the field or continued their education, as the program reports it to NAACLS. All Texas medical lab programs
Sources and Dates
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians (29-2010), May 2025 estimates.
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), checked Nov. 2026.
- Houston City College, Coleman: outcomes, Program page lists passers (10, 6, 6) at 100%; graduation and placement 100% for 2023 to 2025 (78% graduation in 2022). Attempts equal passers because the rate is 100%..
- UTMB: outcomes, BSMLS Academics and Accreditation page; figures cover the BS and MS in MLS together. Graduation and placement 100% each year..
- MD Anderson School of Health Professions: outcomes, Program page table 2008 to 2025, percentages only; graduation and placement 100% in 2023 to 2025..
- San Jacinto College, Central: outcomes, Program effectiveness PDF, undated; newest data is 2023 (placement 2023 year to date). Completion is 4th-term to capstone for the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 to Fall 2022/Spring 2023 cohorts (75 of 78, worked out by us). Placement 97% is the page's stated three-year average. Passed counts come from the stated rates and attempts..
- Lone Star College, Tomball: outcomes, Outcomes page, undated; values update until August of the following year. Page also states a 58.25% three-year (2023 to 2025) average though 2023 has no data. Graduation 22 of 23 (2024) and 22 of 24 (2025); placement 10 of 14 and 11 of 12 known graduates (unknowns excluded), combined by us..
- Texas Southern University: outcomes, Program page, percentages only. Graduation 78%, 89%, 73%; placement 100%, 88%, 100% (means worked out by us). Degree is titled Clinical Laboratory Science..
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Texas and metro areas (employment and wage percentiles), May 2025 estimates.
- Texas Workforce Commission, long-term occupational projections, 2024 to 2034.
Every number was checked against its source on Nov. 4, 2026. Spot an error? Report it. Program Outcomes is independent and not affiliated with any school or NAACLS. Our independence policy