A medical technologist in Chile earns between $1.4 million and $2.1 million pesos gross a month in the fourth year after graduation, depending on the university, according to the Employability and Income Search Tool of Mi Futuro, run by the Undersecretariat of Higher Education. The highest bracket belongs to graduates of Universidad del Desarrollo, with $2.0 to $2.1 million, followed by Universidad de Chile, Universidad Central and Universidad Diego Portales, with $1.8 to $1.9 million.
Medical Technology is a five-year program with specializations such as clinical laboratory, imaging, ophthalmology, otorhinolaryngology and morphophysiopathology. In public hospitals, medical technologists belong to the professional staff under the Administrative Statute and earn $1,275,277 to $3,522,228 gross depending on grade. This guide explains how much a medical technologist earns in Chile, how long it takes to find work and how the field compares with other health careers.
How much a medical technologist earns in Chile by university
| University | Gross monthly income in the 4th year | Employability, year 1 | Employability, year 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad del Desarrollo | $2.0 to $2.1 million | 69.7% | 83.7% |
| Universidad de Chile | $1.8 to $1.9 million | 88.3% | 92.4% |
| Universidad Diego Portales | $1.8 to $1.9 million | 77.3% | 88.3% |
| Universidad Central de Chile | $1.8 to $1.9 million | 76.5% | 92.2% |
| Universidad de Tarapacá | $1.7 to $1.8 million | 77.7% | 86.4% |
| Universidad de Valparaíso | $1.7 to $1.8 million | 75.3% | 88.8% |
| Universidad de La Frontera | $1.7 to $1.8 million | 67.8% | 67.9% |
| Universidad San Sebastián | $1.7 to $1.8 million | 67.2% | 81.5% |
| Universidad Andrés Bello | $1.7 to $1.8 million | 64.0% | 85.3% |
| Universidad Mayor | $1.6 to $1.7 million | 81.2% | 88.1% |
| Universidad de Antofagasta | $1.5 to $1.6 million | 76.6% | 89.1% |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | $1.5 to $1.6 million | 76.5% | 88.1% |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | $1.5 to $1.6 million | 74.6% | 84.1% |
| Universidad de Concepción | $1.5 to $1.6 million | 69.8% | 81.8% |
| Universidad de Talca | $1.4 to $1.5 million | 81.3% | 85.6% |
| Universidad del Alba | n/a | 82.2% | n/a |
| Universidad de Viña del Mar | n/a | 73.5% | 93.9% |
| Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso | n/a | 72.9% | 86.7% |
| Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción | n/a | 69.8% | 86.3% |
| Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins | n/a | 52.7% | 75.9% |
| Universidad Católica de Temuco | n/a | 50.8% | 65.3% |
Source: Mi Futuro, Medical Technology program (21 programs, 15 with income data), consulted November 5, 2026. According to the search tool's methodology, income is the average gross monthly pay of 2018, 2019 and 2020 graduates in their fourth year after graduation, calculated with Internal Revenue Service (SII) data and expressed in September 2025 pesos. Employability is the share of graduates earning at least the minimum wage in their first or second year. Programs with few cases show "no information" (n/a).
The average bracket floor of the 15 programs with data is $1.66 million. The gap between the top and bottom universities is $600,000 a month, wider than in Midwifery or Nursing. The tool does not separate income by specialization, so these figures mix those working in laboratories, imaging and other areas.
How much a medical technologist earns in a public hospital
Medical technologists in health services are governed by the Administrative Statute (Law 18,834) and belong to the professional staff, together with nurses, midwives and physical therapists. Unlike doctors, dentists and pharmacists, they are not covered by Law 19,664. This is the gross monthly pay without seniority bonuses:
| Grade | Base salary | Total gross monthly pay (0 seniority bonuses) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | $822,491 | $3,522,228 |
| 7 | $715,163 | $3,039,924 |
| 9 | $613,027 | $2,544,278 |
| 11 | $525,644 | $2,144,971 |
| 13 | $450,639 | $1,795,022 |
| 15 | $386,316 | $1,512,586 |
| 17 | $331,147 | $1,275,277 |
Source: Law 18,834 pay table for professional positions of the Health Ministry's Undersecretariat of Care Networks, in force since June 2026 with the 1.4% adjustment of Law 21,806 (published by Carlos van Buren Hospital). Amounts for employees in the AFP pension system; total pay adds base salary, professional allowance, substitute allowance and other legal components.
Seniority bonuses, shift allowances for those working nights, weekends and holidays in emergency laboratories and blood banks, a zone allowance in remote regions and performance bonuses are added to that amount. Overtime at grade 15 is worth $6,626 at 100% and $9,939 at 150%, according to the same table.
Employability: how long it takes a medical technologist to find work
View the data as a table
| Average floor of the 4th-year income bracket | $1.66 M |
| First-year employability | 72.7% |
| Second-year employability | 84.6% |
| Average actual length | 12.7 semesters |
| Indicator (Medical Technology) | Range across universities | Simple average |
|---|---|---|
| First-year employability | 50.8% (Católica de Temuco) to 88.3% (de Chile) | 72.7% |
| Second-year employability | 65.3% (Católica de Temuco) to 93.9% (Viña del Mar) | 84.6% |
| Actual length of the program | 10.7 to 14.6 semesters | 12.7 semesters |
| First-year retention | 72.1% to 95.1% | 87.0% |
Source: Mi Futuro, our own calculation of simple averages. Seven out of ten medical technologists earn above the minimum wage in their first year, and more than eight out of ten in their second. In practice, the program takes more than six years. This chart crosses income and employability by university:
View the data as a table
| First-year employability | Floor of 4th-year income bracket ($ million) | |
|---|---|---|
| Universidad del Desarrollo | 70% | 2 |
| Universidad de Chile | 88% | 2 |
| Universidad Diego Portales | 77% | 2 |
| Universidad Central de Chile | 77% | 2 |
| Universidad de Tarapacá | 78% | 2 |
| Universidad de Valparaíso | 75% | 2 |
| Universidad de La Frontera | 68% | 2 |
| Universidad San Sebastián | 67% | 2 |
| Universidad Andrés Bello | 64% | 2 |
| Universidad Mayor | 81% | 2 |
| Universidad de Antofagasta | 77% | 2 |
| Universidad Santo Tomás | 77% | 2 |
| Universidad Austral de Chile | 75% | 2 |
| Universidad de Concepción | 70% | 2 |
| Universidad de Talca | 81% | 1 |
Medical technologists compared with other health careers
| Program | Average floor of 4th-year income bracket | Average first-year employability |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy | $2.26 million | 98.6% |
| Nursing | $1.76 million | 79.3% |
| Medical Technology | $1.66 million | 72.7% |
| Midwifery | $1.62 million | 73.1% |
| Physical Therapy | $1.33 million | 53.1% |
| Occupational Therapy | $1.19 million | 49.8% |
| Nutrition and Dietetics | $1.10 million | 45.2% |
| Speech Therapy | $1.02 million | 42.8% |
Source: Mi Futuro, consulted November 4 and 5, 2026; simple averages calculated by Vivarae News. For more detail, see how much a pharmacist earns, how much a nurse earns, how much a midwife earns and how much a physical therapist earns.
From gross to net pay for a medical technologist
For a hospital medical technologist at grade 13, with total pay of $1,795,022, the legal deductions are the AFP pension contribution (10% plus the fee), health (7% in Fonasa or the isapre plan) and income tax if applicable. With a fee of about 1.5%, contributions add up to around 18.5%, leaving net pay of about $1.46 million before tax (our own approximate calculation). For reference, the minimum wage in Chile has been $553,553 since May 2026.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a newly graduated medical technologist earn in Chile?
There is no official first-year income figure. Mi Futuro reports fourth-year income: between $1.4 million and $2.1 million gross depending on the university, with an average floor of $1.66 million.
How much does a medical technologist earn in the public sector?
Between $1,275,277 (grade 17) and $3,522,228 (grade 5) gross a month without seniority bonuses, according to the Health Ministry scale in force since June 2026. Shifts, seniority and allowances raise the amount.
Which university has the best-paid medical technologists?
Universidad del Desarrollo, with $2.0 to $2.1 million in the fourth year, according to Mi Futuro. It is followed by Universidad de Chile, Universidad Central and Universidad Diego Portales, with $1.8 to $1.9 million.
Does a medical technologist earn more than a nurse?
On average, Nursing has a fourth-year income floor of $1.76 million and Medical Technology $1.66 million, according to Mi Futuro. In the public sector both professions are on the same professional scale.
