Pathologist

Salary & Job Openings

Median Salary (Yearly Pay)

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Future Jobs

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How Will Pathologist Jobs Grow by 2034?

Projected % Growth

Rapid growth
(10% or higher)

Much faster than average
(7% - 10%)

Faster than average
(5% - 7%)

About as fast as average
(3% - 5%)

Slower than average
(0% - 3%)

Decreasing

Average of all U.S. jobs (5.3%)

Pathologist jobs (2.50%)

Source: https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables/occupational-projections-and-characteristics.htm

Steps to Get There: Becoming a Pathologist

High School Subjects to Study

Career Pathway Listen to this section

Most pathology residents receive training in both anatomic pathology (AP) and clinical pathology (CP), although it is possible to train in only one. Specialty certification for the medical practice of pathology is the responsibility of the American Board of Pathology (ABP), which offers primary specialty (AP and CP) and sub-specialty examinations for certification. Four full years of approved training are required for AP/CP, and three years for AP or CP alone. All applicants for primary certification are required to have one additional full year of clinical training, clinically related research, or an additional year of pathology training. Pathologists need to be licensed by their state in order to practice medicine, and must also be certified by the American Board of Pathology.

Candidates requesting certification must pass an objective written and practical examination. As in other medical disciplines, board certification is not required for practice, but it is highly prized as evidence of professional competence. A re-certification examination is given 10 years after the initial board certification.

Education- Typical Degree Needed After High School Listen to this section

Typical degree for an entry-level position: Doctoral or professional degree ?

After college, the first step to becoming a pathologist is to attend and graduate from an accredited medical school. Average medical programs last 4–5 years. Medical schools offer elective courses in pathology, in addition to the required basic science courses. Some medical schools offer year-long student fellowships in pathology for medical students, usually following the sophomore year in which the general pathology course is given. Under certain circumstances, candidates for primary certification by the American Board of Pathology may receive advanced pathology training credit for this period. In some cases, medical students can spend up to 6 years in medical school and earn a doctoral degree in pathology, in addition to a medical degree.

Medical school graduates need 4-5 years of accredited residency training to prepare for a career in pathology. There are accredited training programs in many hospitals throughout the United States and Canada, and many varied opportunities for sub-specialty study. During training, the resident becomes familiar with all activities of a pathology department. Pathologists need to be licensed by their state in order to practice medicine and must also be certified by the American Board of Pathology.

Try it Out with an Activity or Project

STEM Activities

STEM activities are fun hands-on explorations that usually take from 10 minutes to one hour and use readily available household or classroom materials while introducing you to STEM concepts common in this career.

 

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Exploring Mummification with Hot Dogs

45 minutes to 1 hour 

 

1 STEM Activity Result

Science Project Ideas

Project Ideas are in-depth STEM explorations that have a strong focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data suitable for investigating the scientific method or the engineering design process.

 

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Forensic Science: Building Your Own Tool for Identifying DNA

Short (2-5 days) 

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Fighting the Flu: How Your Immune System Uses Its Memory

Short (2-5 days) 

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Blood Clotting to the Rescue: How to Stop Too Much Blood from Flowing

Very Short (≤ 1 day) 

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Build a Cell Phone Microscope

Average (6-10 days) 

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Predicting Thyroid Cancer Recurrence with Machine Learning

Short (2-5 days) 

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Make Your Own Mummy

Long (2-4 weeks) 

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Protein Fingerprinting

Average (6-10 days) 

 

7 Science Project Idea Results

On the Job

Role Models

Find out what it's like to specialize in forensic pathology: Shadowing Dr. Melinek, a forensic pathologist and a featured physician in the AMA Wire® "Shadow Me" Specialty Series.

From an intellectual standpoint, the most challenging parts of my job are figuring out why someone died when there is very little information (when the autopsy doesn't yield an immediate answer) or when there is too much information and none of it makes sense.  

Judy Melinek, MD

Nature of the Work

Pathologists are doctors who specialize in the diagnosis of human disease by studying and testing bodily fluids, blood, and tissue samples, and they contribute to the daily care of patients. They interpret test results to determine the diseases that affect us, find causes of death, and search for other medical conditions. After examining the information from new and highly complex tests, the pathologist passes the findings and offer recommendations for the course of therapy to the patient's physician, who then advises the patient. But many pathologists do interact with patients, sharing their assessment and recommendations directly with them. The pathologist's paramount responsibility is to make sure that the tests they perform are done accurately, interpreted properly, and reported correctly.

Pathologist combines the roles of physician, teacher, and scientist. When working in a hospital setting, pathologists act as physicians by assisting in diagnosing and and treating patients. They are also responsible for passing their knowledge to the next generation of pathologists and spend time reviewing cases with them. As scientists, pathologists use a wide range of cutting-edge technologies from fields such as molecular genetics and biophysics, as well as their own knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and microbiology, to model disease progression and deepen our understanding of the mechanism of disease. Their research can lead to novel disease treatments.

Pathologists can specialize in the following subfields of anatomic or clinical pathology.

• Surgical pathology: The study of tissue removed from the body during surgery in order to determine the illness that required its removal from the body. Surgical pathologists work hand in hand with surgeons, often while a patient is still on the operating table. Armed with the information from a surgical pathologist, a surgeon can modify the course of surgery and post-operative treatment.
• Forensic pathology: The process of retrieving evidence and information from bodies through autopsy. Forensic pathologists can be asked to give and discuss evidence in legal court. Forensic pathologists also work in the interest of public health. These professionals examine bodies in order to determine if an infectious disease is a threat to public health. Forensic pathologists can also work as medical examiners and coroners.
• Cytopathology: The branch of pathology that studies and diagnoses disease on a cellular level. A common cytopathological test is the Pap smear, which is used to determine cervical cancer. A cytopathologist examines cells from body cavities, such as urine and fluids from the chest or abdomen.
• Neuropathology: The diagnosis of diseases of the nervous system and skeletal muscles. These pathologists are familiar with both the nervous and neuromuscular systems.
• Dermatopathology: Experts who diagnose infectious, immunologic, and degenerative diseases of the skin. Dermatopathologists interpret tissues, cellular scrapings, and smears of skin.
• Chemical pathology: The branch of pathology dealing with the biochemical basis of disease and the use of biochemical tests for diagnosis and disease management.
• Molecular genetic pathology: The area of pathology that focuses on the evolution of disease on a molecular level. These pathologists investigate the genetic material of the patient and can determine the risk of the patient developing a genetic disease such as breast cancer. They are also involved in monitoring the effect of therapy.
• Hematology: The study of all aspects of blood, including plasma, red cells and white cells, and blood marrow. Hematologists are responsible for the care of patients who suffer from a wide range of blood disorders, such as leukemia, lymphoma, hemophilia, and anemia. These professionals are also responsible for blood banks and provide blood for surgeries and transfusions.
• Immunopathology: The diagnosis of diseases related to the body's immune system. They investigate diseases where the immune system is overactive or under-active, or where the immune system is reacting to things in the environment.
• Medical microbiology: Deals with the study and diagnosis of diseases in humans that are caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.

Work Environment

Pathologists spend their time in laboratories, hospital wards, offices, and classrooms. In general, they work 40-hour weeks, but their hours are flexible and the work week can total more than 40 hours. Pathologists have more regular hours than a physician, even though they work rotating shifts.

Pathologists are part of a patient's medical team. They attend meetings to share information on diagnoses with the other physicians who make up a patient's medical team.

Pathologists work in laboratories where there are chemicals present, and use highly accurate and precise equipment. They also work with human tissue, blood, and bodily fluids.

More Information

Ask Questions

Do you have a specific question about a career as a Pathologist that isn't answered on this page? Post your question on the Science Buddies Ask an Expert Forum.

Additional Resources

For more information about pathology and careers in pathology, check out these pathology society websites:

• American Society of Clinical Pathology
• American Society for Investigative Pathology

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics BLS (2024). Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH), 2024 Edition, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
• National Center for O*NET Development O*Net Online (2024). National Center for O*Net Development. Retrieved August 25, 2025
• The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. (n.d.). Disciplines. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
• American Medical Association. (2017, May 10). What it's like to specialize in forensic pathology: Shadowing Dr. Melinek. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
• The Royal College of Pathologists. (2017). Discover Pathology. Retrieved January 27, 2017.
• Office of Science Education. (n.d.). LifeWorks: Physician, Clinical Pathologist. Retrieved March 20, 2014.
• StateUniversity.com. (2010). Pathologist Job Description, Career as a Pathologist, Salary, Employment - Definition and the Nature of the Work, Education and Training Requirements, Getting the Job. Retrieved July 23, 2010.