Exercise Physiologists vs Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: $59K vs $63K Median Pay

Exercise Physiologists vs Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: what changes?

Consider Exercise Physiologists if you want to assess, plan, or implement fitness programs that include exercise or physical activities such as those designed to improve cardiorespiratory function, body composition, muscular strength, muscular endurance, or…. Consider Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians if you would rather perform routine medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. Entry credentials differ: Exercise Physiologists, bachelor's degree; Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians, associate degree (technician route).

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Exercise Physiologists and Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

The labor-market benchmark for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians covers the broader BLS group Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians (29-2010). It does not isolate this specialty.

Compare the practical differences

Exercise Physiologists

National median pay (2025): $59,460
Route into the job: Bachelor's degree
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.
Work to investigate: Develop exercise programs to improve participant strength, flexibility, endurance, or circulatory functioning, in accordance with exercise science standards, regulatory requirements, and credentialing requirements.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 1,400

Know before you choose

This is a small national occupation (21,200 jobs in 2025), so location and employer concentration can matter more than the national median suggests.

See the full Exercise Physiologists brief

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

National median pay (2025): $62,930
Route into the job: An associate degree in clinical laboratory science is a typical technician route. Some certificate routes also exist. Check clinical placements, certification eligibility, and state requirements; the combined BLS group's bachelor's category does not describe every technician route.
Prior related experience: Prior experience requirements need verification for this occupation.
Training and licensing: Verify the specialty's training, licensing, and full preparation time with an accredited program or employer.
Physical work: Handling biological samples requires protective equipment and safety procedures. Repetitive tasks and prolonged standing can occur.
Schedule and hours: Hospital laboratories may operate overnight, on weekends, and on holidays. Ask about shift assignments in the setting you are considering.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 20,800

Know before you choose

Handling biological samples requires protective equipment and safety procedures. Repetitive tasks and prolonged standing can occur.

BLS: entry routes, workplace, and schedules · Reviewed September 6, 2026. BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections.

See the full Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians brief

How the national numbers differ

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians has the edge on annual openings

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians is at 20,800 annual openings, compared with 1,400 annual openings for Exercise Physiologists.

Exercise Physiologists has the edge on projected growth

Exercise Physiologists is at 12.8% projected growth, compared with 2.7% projected growth for Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians.

Typical preparation differs.

Exercise Physiologists: Bachelor's degree Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: An associate degree in clinical laboratory science is a typical technician route. Some certificate routes also exist. Check clinical placements, certification eligibility, and state requirements; the combined BLS group's bachelor's category does not describe every technician route. Preparation categories do not establish admission difficulty, calendar time, tuition, time without earnings, or licensing difficulty.

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians has the edge on median pay

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians is at $62,930, compared with $59,460 for Exercise Physiologists.

49.6/ 100

Exercise Physiologists

59/ 100

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence

Exercise Physiologists vs Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

Dimension	Exercise Physiologists	Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
Median pay (2025)	$59,460	$62,930
Pay percentile	47 percentile	53.6 percentile
Projected growth (2025–2035)	12.8%	2.7%
Annual openings (2025–2035)	1,400	20,800
2025 employment	21,200	343,000
How you qualify	Bachelor's degree	An associate degree in clinical laboratory science is a typical technician route. Some certificate routes also exist. Check clinical placements, certification eligibility, and state requirements; the combined BLS group's bachelor's category does not describe every technician route.
O*NET preparation group	Job Zone 4	Job Zone 3
Related work experience	No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.	Prior experience requirements need verification for this occupation.
On-the-job training	BLS does not list a separate on-the-job training requirement. Employers may still provide orientation and role-specific training.	Verify the specialty's training, licensing, and full preparation time with an accredited program or employer.
Schedules	Varies by employer and setting; ask about shifts, overtime, on-call work, and predictable hours.	Hospital laboratories may operate overnight, on weekends, and on holidays. Ask about shift assignments in the setting you are considering.
Physical work	Unknown: review standing, lifting, repetitive movement, and posture with a practitioner. No overall physical-demand rating is assigned.	Handling biological samples requires protective equipment and safety procedures. Repetitive tasks and prolonged standing can occur.

The table reports national benchmarks and reviewed work descriptions. It does not rate personal suitability, job security, or physical safety.

Read Exercise Physiologists brief Read Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians brief

Exercise Physiologists vs Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians: what changes?

The facts most likely to affect your decision

Exercise Physiologists

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

How the national numbers differ

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians has the edge on annual openings

Exercise Physiologists has the edge on projected growth

Typical preparation differs.

Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians has the edge on median pay

Exercise Physiologists vs Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians

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