Exploring Careers in Medical Laboratory Science - University of Maine at Augusta

Explore career paths, salaries, and job opportunities in medical laboratory science.

Close-up of a gloved hand using a dropper to transfer liquid into test tubes in a laboratory.

Career Outlook

As a student in UMA’s Medical Laboratory Science program, you’re building skills Maine’s healthcare systems rely on every day. This guide highlights where that preparation can take you across the state, outlining common roles, what you can expect to do in them, and the salary ranges you may see as you grow.

Whether you are aiming for a specialized diagnostic role or a management position within systems like MaineHealth, Northern Light, or MaineGeneral, this overview is designed to help you explore the opportunities available statewide.

Role (requires BS MLS or similar)	Typical Starting Salary (Maine)	Avergae Salary (Maine or regionally adjusted)	Estimated current Maine openings
Medical Laboratory Scientist / Medical Technologist (hospital)	48k–55k dollars/year	62k–75k dollars/year	~40–60 jobs
Clinical Laboratory Scientist (generalist)	48k–55k dollars/year	60k–72k dollars/year	~30–50 jobs
Travel MT/CLS	~1.5k–1.7k dollars/week (≈78k–88k dollars/year)	~1.65k dollars/week (≈85k dollars/year)	~10–25 jobs
Blood Bank / Transfusion MLS	50k–58k dollars/year	65k–78k dollars/year	~5–15 jobs
Microbiology MLS	48k–55k dollars/year	62k–75k dollars/year	~5–15 jobs
Chemistry / Hematology specialist MLS	52k–60k dollars/year	68k–80k dollars/year	~5–10 jobs
Lab supervisor / lead MT	70k–80k dollars/year	80k–95k dollars/year	~5–10 jobs
Reference lab MLS (Quest, etc.)	50k–58k dollars/year	65k–78k dollars/year	~10–20 jobs
Lab quality / compliance specialist	65k–75k dollars/year	80k–95k dollars/year	~3–8 jobs
POCT coordinator / specialist	60k–72k dollars/year	70k–85k dollars/year	~2–6 jobs

Want more detail? Expand the sections below to explore each role.

Medical Laboratory Scientist / Medical Technologist (Hospital, Core Lab)

Perform routine and complex testing in chemistry, hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, and basic microbiology, validate results, operate analyzers, participate in QA, and communicate critical values to providers.

Typical employers:
Large hospital systems (e.g., Maine Medical Center/ MaineHealth, Northern Light, MaineGeneral) and regional hospital labs.

Typical starting salary:
Around 48,000–55,000 dollars per year in Maine (roughly 23–27 dollars per hour), aligning with state-level early‑career MLS estimates.

Average salary:
About 62,000–75,000 dollars per year for experienced MLS in Maine, consistent with recent Maine and New England MLS pay data.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Roughly 40–60 hospital-based MLS/MT postings statewide (multiple postings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter plus individual health‑system sites).

Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Generalist)

Bench generalist covering multiple sections (chemistry, hematology, blood bank, limited micro), often with evening or night shifts and on‑call, including instrument troubleshooting and specimen management.

Typical employers:
Community hospitals, critical access hospitals, and some reference labs using the title “Clinical Laboratory Scientist.”

Typical starting salary:
Around 48,000–55,000 dollars per year (similar band to MLS generalists in Maine).

Average salary:
Around 60,000–72,000 dollars per year depending on shift differentials and rural vs. urban location.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Around 30–50 postings statewide using the “Clinical Laboratory Scientist”/“Clinical Laboratory Technologist” title.

Medical Technologist – Travel / Contract (Clinical Lab Scientist)

Short‑term assignments (often 8–13 weeks) as a generalist or in a specialty, quickly adapting to new LIS/analyzers, often covering staffing gaps in smaller hospitals.

Typical employers:
Travel staffing agencies (e.g., AMN Healthcare) placing MT/CLS professionals into Maine hospitals.

Typical starting salary:
Roughly 1,500–1,700 dollars per week in Maine, corresponding to about 78,000–88,000 dollars annualized if working full‑time year‑round.

Average salary:
Recent filled travel MT/CLS roles in Maine averaged about 1,648 dollars per week (≈85,000 dollars annualized).

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Typically 10–25 open travel MT/CLS jobs at a time across Maine according to major travel‑staffing job boards.

Blood Bank / Transfusion Services Medical Laboratory Scientist

Perform type and screen, antibody identification, crossmatch, issue blood components, perform compatibility and QC testing, and support massive transfusion protocols.

Typical employers:
Hospital transfusion services, regional blood banks.

Typical starting salary:
Around 50,000–58,000 dollars per year due to specialty skills and off‑shift work.

Average salary:
Approximately 65,000–78,000 dollars per year including differentials for nights/weekends in many hospital systems.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Roughly 5–15 postings specifically highlighting blood bank/transfusion specialization at any given time.

Microbiology Medical Laboratory Scientist

Culture setup and reading, organism identification (including MALDI‑TOF where available), antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and limited molecular methods for infectious disease panels.

Typical employers:
Larger hospital laboratories and some reference labs.

Typical starting salary:
Around 48,000–55,000 dollars per year, similar to other MLS roles but may see modest premiums in some systems.

Average salary:
Around 62,000–75,000 dollars per year for experienced microbiology MLS staff.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Approximately 5–15 openings explicitly mentioning microbiology as the primary bench.

Chemistry / Hematology Specialist MLS

Advanced analyzer operation and troubleshooting, method validation, review of QC and proficiency testing, and acting as a lead for chemistry or hematology sections.

Typical employers:
Hospital core labs and some high‑throughput reference labs.

Typical starting salary:
Around 52,000–60,000 dollars per year when hired directly into or quickly promoted into a focused section role.

Average salary:
Roughly 68,000–80,000 dollars per year, reflecting higher responsibility and potential lead duties.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
About 5–10 postings for chemistry/hematology‑focused or lead MLS roles at any time.

Laboratory Supervisor / Lead Medical Technologist

Supervise bench staff, coordinate scheduling, manage QC and regulatory documentation, help with inspections (CAP, CLIA), and maintain analyzers/standard operating procedures while still performing some bench work.

Typical employers:
Mid‑size and large hospital laboratories.

Typical starting salary:
Often around 70,000–80,000 dollars per year for entry‑level supervisors or leads in lower‑cost states like Maine.

Average salary:
National survey data show lab managers/supervisors around 100,000 dollars on average; in Maine, 80,000–95,000 dollars is a reasonable mid‑career range.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Typically 5–10 lab supervisor/lead technologist postings statewide.

Reference Laboratory Medical Technologist / MLS

High‑volume routine and some specialized testing, strict adherence to standardized workflows, participation in proficiency testing, and occasional client communication about results.

Typical employers:
Large commercial/reference labs and national diagnostics companies (e.g., Quest Diagnostics) with Maine facilities or draw sites.

Typical starting salary:
Around 50,000–58,000 dollars per year in Maine for entry‑level MLS in reference labs.

Average salary:
Approximately 65,000–78,000 dollars per year, similar to hospital MLS but with variation by shift and test complexity.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Quest Diagnostics alone lists several lab‑related roles; across commercial labs, estimate 10–20 MLS/MT positions open in Maine.

Laboratory Quality / Compliance Specialist (MLS background)

Maintain quality management systems, oversee proficiency testing, monitor key performance indicators, prepare for regulatory inspections, and update policies/procedures, usually requiring prior MLS bench experience.

Typical employers:
Hospital labs, health systems, and some larger reference labs.

Typical starting salary:
For someone moving from bench MLS into quality, around 65,000–75,000 dollars per year in Maine is typical.

Average salary:
Mid‑career quality and admin‑track lab roles often reach 80,000–95,000 dollars annually.

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Usually 3–8 postings for lab QA/compliance/quality coordinator roles statewide.

Point‑of‑Care Testing (POCT) Coordinator / Specialist

Oversee bedside testing (glucose, ABGs, pregnancy tests, etc.), train and certify non‑lab staff, manage QC, connectivity, and correlation studies, and ensure POCT compliance with CAP/CLIA standards.

Typical employers:
Hospital systems and integrated delivery networks.

Typical starting salary:
Frequently about 60,000–72,000 dollars per year when filled by an experienced MLS stepping away from full‑time bench work.

Average salary:
Around 70,000–85,000 dollars per year depending on system size and added responsibilities (e.g., system‑wide POCT oversight).

Estimated current openings in Maine:
Typically 2–6 dedicated POCT coordinator/specialist jobs listed at any time across Maine’s major health systems.

A Career Field with Strong Demand

Medical Laboratory Science remains a stable and in-demand healthcare profession. Across the United States, hospitals and laboratories continue to face shortages of trained laboratory professionals due to retirements, increasing testing needs, and limited numbers of new graduates entering the field.

Workforce research consistently identifies clinical laboratory science as an area where demand exceeds the number of trained professionals entering the workforce. Many openings occur as experienced technologists retire or transition into other roles, creating ongoing opportunities for new graduates.

In Maine, workforce data shows relatively modest overall growth in laboratory positions, but steady vacancies across hospital systems and diagnostic laboratories. This pattern is common in healthcare laboratory professions, where positions are frequently available even when total job numbers grow slowly.

For students entering the field, this combination of steady demand and specialized training requirements contributes to strong job stability and opportunities across hospital laboratories, reference laboratories, and specialized diagnostic services.

Maine Center for Workforce Research and Information. Occupational Employment Outlook to 2030. Maine Department of Labor, Augusta, ME.
Maine Center for Workforce Research and Information. 2022 Maine Healthcare Occupations Report. Maine Department of Labor, Augusta, ME.
Maine Center for Workforce Research and Information. Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates – Maine. Updated 2024.
Stacker. Demand for these health care jobs is increasing most in Maine. Published February 25, 2024.
Smith, J. Medical Laboratory Technologist Labor Market and Industry … . Walden University; 2025.
George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The Laboratory Workforce Shortage: A Silent Crisis Impacting Health and Patient Care. Published January 12, 2026.