Blood bank technologists, also called immunohematology technologists, type and do routine testing of blood from donors to ensure patient safety. They separate blood into components for specialized uses and prepare blood for transfusions. Blood bank technologists supervise the collection of blood from donors and its storage and transport. Most blood bank technologists earn at least $47,000 per year.
Averages
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not provide salary figures for blood bank technologists in particular, but does for the broad category of clinical laboratory technologists. Their average salary as of May 2009 was $26.74 per hour, equaling $55,620 per year. CBSalary, a salary calculator affiliated with CareerBuilder.com, shows the average salary specifically for blood bank technologists as higher as of March 2011, at $59,098 to $59,361 per year. The middle 50 percent of blood bank technologists have salaries in the range of $47,013 to $78,712 per year.
High-Paying Areas
The highest-paying areas by state and district for clinical laboratory technologists, the BLS says, are California, Nevada, Alaska, Connecticut and the District of Columbia. CBSalary shows all these as high-paying specifically for blood bank technologists as well. The average yearly salary for blood bank technologists in Connecticut is $66,538, in the District of Columbia $66,713, in Alaska $67,108, in Nevada $70,459 and in California $78,282. Vermont does not rank in the top-paying states for this profession, but blood bank technologists there have average pay higher than the nationwide average, at $60,758 per year.
Other Areas
Many other states rank below the nationwide salary for blood bank technologists, but still place within the middle 50 percent range. Examples include Arizona, where blood bank technologists earn $51,940 per year on average, West Virginia at $52,822, Ohio at $54,735, Texas at $54,909, Missouri at $54,912, Florida at $55,949 and Wyoming at $58,826.
Job Openings
Blood bank technologists are needed to work in diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, medical centers, municipal blood banks, outpatient clinics and in civilian positions with the military, as illustrated by job listings at Indeed.com in 2011. Posted pay rates range from about $19.25 to $38.30 per hour, translating to about $40,000 to $79,700 per year.
