Don't know if anyone mentioned this (as I was off Histonet for a while),
but the March 2001 issue of Laboratory Medicine has the complete
results from the 2000 Wage and Vacancy Survey of Medical Laboratories.

HT and HTL led with double digit median beginning pay rate increases,
while everyone else was single digit, from 1998-2000 (10.1% and 15.8%).

HT and HTL led with the highest median average pay rate increases
from 1998-2000. (13.3% & 15.4%).

For HT, the median beginning pay rate across the country was $12.00,
the median top was $17.30, while the median average was $15.30.
Average FTE vacancy was 16.1%, with the Northeast having the highest
vacancy rate of 36.7%. There were a higher percentage of hospitals/labs
reporting shortages of HT than MLT.

For HTL, the median beginning pay rate was $13.90, the median top
was $19.90, while the median average was $18.00. The average FTE
vacancy was 22.2%, with the West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)
being the largest at 73.7%. Shortages of HTL were greater than for
MT or CT.

For HT/HTL supervisors, the median beginning pay rate was $16.00, 
the median top was $24.10, while the median average was $21.00. 
The average FTE vacancy was 20.0%, with the East North Central
(Great Lakes Area) having the largest vacancy rate of 30.0%. There 
were more shortages of HT/HTL supervisors listed than for MT or
CT.

I made copies of the article, and gave it to our AP manager, chief
pathologist, assistant hospital administrator over pathology, and HRD.
I hope they get the message. There is a shortage of histotechs, and
wages are increasing greatest in our field to compensate!

Peggy A. Wenk, HTL(ASCP)
William Beaumont Hospital
Royal Oak, MI 48073