The proper removal and process of studying the tissue and cells from animals and plants is the basic premise of histology.  The application of histology can help in identifying the different structures of microscopic samples.  Graduates of a histology program from a respected school are widely sought after in the health care industry, as their skills are essential in treating disease and illness.  In addition to medicine, the fields of biology and even botany rely on histology when conducting the vast majority of their tests.  Gaining a histology degree will give a student a plethora of employment opportunities in numerous fields.

The most common degree in the field is an Associate's of Applied Science in Histology.  These classes are usually available through community colleges and even occasionally over the internet.  Histology technicians, as graduates of an associate's histology program are called, often find work in research facilities.  They generally work in tandem with pathologists and histologists during clinical procedures, most often procuring a necessary sample of tissue, blood, or other fluids from the pathologists' patients.  They may additionally assist in data entry or laboratory maintenance.  Some students may elect to receive specialized training in areas such as genetics or cell biology, enhancing their skills and employability in the process.

Hospitals are the most common and obvious choice for a graduate of a histology program.  The breadth of tests that are administered on a regular basis in the nation's hospitals requires thousands of histology technicians, the employment opportunities are only expected to grow.  Health clinics and public health facilities often need the services of a histology technician, as do some private medical practices.  Often, pathologists will employ graduates of a histology program to assist or oversee most of their lab work.  These common health industry occupations, however, are but one area of employment that someone with a histology degree can pursue.  

Outside of the general health field, a number of employment opportunities exist for a histology technician.  Forensic pathology is a common one, for example.  Marine biology is also a natural fit for a histology graduate, due to the large amount of samples and microscopic studies that the field requires.  In a similar vein, the veterinary industry is constantly hiring skilled histology technicians for their pathology departments.  Students who have undergone specialized training in the field have even more employment options, extracting specific DNA strands in genetic labs or helping in advanced studies of cell biology and even stem cell research.

With so many varied and interesting job opportunities, thousands of people are making the move to a career in this exciting field.  Employment opportunities in the field of histology are expected increase dramatically over the next ten years, and the average salary for graduates is over forty thousand dollars per year, above the national average for other job fields.  Numerous respected universities offer quality programs designed to help graduates advance in their careers, and some of these may even offer some form of online histology program to help make the education process more convenient and affordable.