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Medical lab technician programs in California

3 medical lab programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

3 schools offer these medical lab programs, and California has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians run the medical lab tests used to diagnose, treat and prevent disease. Most need a bachelor's degree, though technicians sometimes qualify with an associate degree and some vocational and technical schools offer technician certificates; some states require a license, and employers may prefer certification.1

In California, 2 of the 3 programs ask for a high school diploma or equivalent and 1 asks for an associate degree.

By kind, the 3 programs here are medical lab assistant course (1 program), medical lab technician (associate degree, 1 program) and medical lab program (level not stated, 1 program).

See the 3 programs

How much do medical lab technician programs cost in California?

$1,347 to $20,865

is what the 3 programs with a price cost if you pay yourself

In the typical program

Finished the program
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5
Working 6 months later
Not enough data
1 program reports it; a typical figure needs 5
Earned a year, estimated
Not reported
None of the 3 programs report it
Length
Not enough data
3 programs report it; a typical figure needs 5

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in California may also offer medical lab technician programs. How these figures are made

Are there free medical lab technician programs in California?

Who qualifies, and other ways to pay: financial aid, grants and the GI Bill

All 3 medical lab programs in California approved for WIOA funding

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3 programs

  • Medical lab assistant courseHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Lab Assisting

    De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute

    Cupertino

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute, CupertinoMedical lab assistant course · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,347
    School website, Lab Assisting at De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute
    More details about Lab Assisting at De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute
    Finished
    67%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    52 weeks, 12 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $4,873
    Students counted
    3,284
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,347
    School website, Lab Assisting at De Anza College, Occupational Training Institute

  • Medical lab technician (associate degree)HybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Medical Laboratory Technician Associate of Science (Hybrid)

    Saddleback College

    Mission Viejo

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Saddleback College, Mission ViejoMedical lab technician (associate degree) · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,760
    Program website, Medical Laboratory Technician Associate of Science (Hybrid) at Saddleback College
    More details about Medical Laboratory Technician Associate of Science (Hybrid) at Saddleback College
    Finished
    44%
    Working at 6 months
    66%
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    104 weeks, 31 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,147
    Students counted
    1,210
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,760
    Program website, Medical Laboratory Technician Associate of Science (Hybrid) at Saddleback College

  • Medical lab program (level not stated)In personAssociate's degree

    Medical Laboratory Technician

    Regan Career Institute

    South El Monte

    Accredited school

    Associate's degree

    Regan Career Institute, South El MonteMedical lab program (level not stated) · Accredited schoolIn person · Associate's degree

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$20,865
    School website, Medical Laboratory Technician at Regan Career Institute
    More details about Medical Laboratory Technician at Regan Career Institute
    Finished
    80%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    78 weeks, 15 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $3,135
    Students counted
    33
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $20,865
    School website, Medical Laboratory Technician at Regan Career Institute

How to pay for medical lab technician programs in California

WIOA funding can pay for medical lab technician programs in California

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for medical lab technician programs

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for medical lab technician programs

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Medical lab technician programs in Los Angeles, San Jose and other California cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above.

Other training in California

How medical lab technician programs compare with the rest of medical office and lab work: Medical certification programs in California

Where the California medical lab program numbers come from

Which California medical lab programs are on this list?

These are the medical lab programs California approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what California offers.

How the prices and results of California medical lab programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about medical lab technician programs in California

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List