Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research at Fortis Institute

Houston, TX · Private for-profit · Certificate · Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions

a compact campus enrolling 332 students in Houston, TX.

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $34,909 track close to the $39,620 national median for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 9% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research career paths face changes, but the trade's physical demands provide a buffer.

At $9,500 in median debt against $34,909 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance quickly — a hallmark of affordable trade programs.

A #92 ranking among 146 Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research programs places Fortis Institute in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

The limited growth from $34,909 to $39,411 over five years suggests earnings in this trade plateau relatively early in one's career.

The 15 apprenticeship pathways connected to Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research reflect strong industry infrastructure for this trade. Apprenticeships typically lead to journeyman-level wages.

50 /100
TradeSchoolOutlook Score
46
Low End
50
Score
50
High End
Earnings $34,909/yr (-12% vs median)
AI-Proof Resilient (76% shielded)
Job Market Large (79,700 openings/yr)

Earnings Overview

Projected 10-Year Earnings
$402K
3.1% annual growth
Viable Career Paths
6 of 6
Occupations with strong AI resilience

Projected 10-Year Earnings

Based on actual graduate salary data and Bureau of Labor Statistics growth projections.

Median Debt at Graduation
$9,500
3.3 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$39,411
13% growth from Year 1

Top Career Paths

Top career paths for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research graduates by median salary.

Career Path Median Salary Growth AI-ProofAI
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary $105,620 +17.3% 52%
Surgical technologists $62,830 +4.5% 93%
Health technologists and technicians, all other $48,790 +5.2% 48%
Health specialties teachers, postsecondary
$105,620
+17.3% growth 52% AI-proof
Surgical technologists
$62,830
+4.5% growth 93% AI-proof
Health technologists and technicians, all other
$48,790
+5.2% growth 48% AI-proof

View all 6 career paths with full salary data →

About Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research Careers

You’ll likely start your career in a direct patient-care role like a phlebotomist. You’ll spend your days in a clinic or hospital, using needles and vacutainers to draw blood, calming nervous patients, and meticulously labeling samples that doctors rely on for life-saving diagnoses. From there, you can advance into a more specialized technologist role. This could mean operating complex diagnostic analyzers in a lab or becoming a surgical technologist, where you’ll prepare operating rooms and pass critical instruments to surgeons during procedures.

Read the full Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research career guide →

Compare & Explore

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research Overview

Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research at Other Schools

Other Majors at Fortis Institute

Considering a 4-Year Degree Instead?

Compare how bachelor's degree graduates fare on earnings, ROI, and AI resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Fortis Institute's Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research program score?
A score of 50/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Fortis Institute trails the majority of Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
What's the typical debt for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research graduates from Fortis Institute?
Median debt of just $9,500 against $34,909/yr in starting salary means graduates can clear their loans in under 3 months. This is one of the more affordable paths in our dataset.
Can I learn Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research through an apprenticeship instead?
Yes — 15 registered apprenticeship programs are mapped to Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research career paths, including Blocker & Cutter Contact Lens. Apprenticeships offer paid on-the-job training as an alternative or complement to certificate programs.
Is there demand for Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research workers?
With approximately 79,700 annual openings across mapped careers, Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research offers a large employment pool. Physical trades tend to have steady demand driven by infrastructure and construction cycles.
Data from College Scorecard, BLS, and AI resilience research. Methodology & sources →