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Hire a Lab Director or Lab Manager in Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, State College, Allentown)
Updated November 3, 2026
Pennsylvania labs hiring a lab manager or director can budget against BLS figures: the May 2025 Pennsylvania median for medical and health services managers was $103,670. Pennsylvania adds permit, director and supervisor rules on top of CLIA. SLC can cover director, technical consultant and compliance oversight, with the required onsite visits.
Pennsylvania pay benchmarks (BLS, May 2025)
Medical and health services managers: Pennsylvania median $103,670, Pennsylvania mean $117,690 (U.S. median $123,860).
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians: Pennsylvania median $51,680, Pennsylvania mean $59,470 (U.S. median $62,930).
Pennsylvania lab leadership postings in fall 2026 include hospital core lab managers, a combined "laboratory manager or laboratory director" role at a community hospital, and a manager to launch a new specialty lab. Most ask for a bachelor's degree in medical technology or a related science, ASCP (MLS/MT) or equivalent certification, and five or more years of clinical lab experience with supervisory time. Smaller labs and physician offices often post a "manager" role when what they need first is a director acceptable to the Department and a qualified general supervisor.
Pennsylvania requirements
Who oversees labs: The Pennsylvania Department of Health, Bureau of Laboratories, issues the clinical laboratory permit required under the Clinical Laboratory Act (35 P.S. 2151-2165) and 28 Pa. Code Chapter 5, and may inspect a permitted lab at any time. Federal CLIA certification still applies, and the CMS-116 goes in with the state application.
Who can be the director: The Department's regulations summary says every lab must have a director with a doctoral level degree and experience acceptable to the Department. A copy of the director's medical license and any board certifications goes in with the application, and qualifying as a CLIA moderate or high complexity director may take more documents.
Director presence: 28 Pa. Code 5.22(g) requires the director to be present a reasonable period of each working day. The Department interprets "present" to include remote presence by phone, email or video as well as onsite presence. For moderate or high complexity labs, the Department requires the director onsite once every 6 months, at least 4 months apart, and those visits cannot be delegated. The director signs an attestation form and must document the onsite visits.
General supervisor: If the director is not onsite during all hours of testing, the lab must employ a qualified general supervisor on the premises during all normal working hours when tests are performed. Under 28 Pa. Code 5.23, that means a doctoral degree plus 2 years of acceptable experience, a master's plus 4 years, or a bachelor's plus 6 years.
Changes and limits: Notify the Bureau immediately of a change in director, using the Change of Status form signed by the new director. Section 5.22(f) limits a director to two labs, but the Department currently uses enforcement discretion to allow more with an attestation and supporting credentials. If a director leaves, 5.22(c) allows up to 6 weeks under a general supervisor with Department permission. See our Pennsylvania clinical lab license guide before you finalize a hire.
Hiring checklist for Pennsylvania labs
Confirm your CLIA certificate type, test complexity, and PA DOH permit type.
Check that your director candidate is acceptable to the Department and meets CLIA for your complexity.
Have the director sign the PA attestation form and plan the two onsite visits a year.
Confirm a qualified general supervisor is on site during all testing hours if the director is not.
File the Change of Status form right away when the director changes.
Set pay against Pennsylvania benchmarks for your metro.
Plan director and technical consultant coverage during the vacancy.
Remote oversight for Pennsylvania labs
Under 42 CFR 493.1407(c) (moderate complexity) and 493.1445(c) (high complexity), the laboratory director must be onsite at least once every 6 months, with at least 4 months between the two minimum visits, and must stay accessible to the lab for telephone or electronic consultation as needed. The director is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the lab, and stays responsible for every duty they delegate. Under CLIA, one person may direct no more than five laboratories (§ 493.1407(d), § 493.1445(d)). Pennsylvania layers its own daily presence, supervisor and attestation rules on top. Remote oversight does not replace the general supervisor, testing personnel, or other people your lab is required to have physically present.
SLC serves Pennsylvania as part of its nationwide network, from Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley to Harrisburg, State College and Pittsburgh. See lab consultant Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania CLIA lab requirements.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a lab manager make in Pennsylvania? BLS publishes state figures. Pennsylvania medical and health services managers had a May 2025 median of $103,670 and a mean of $117,690. Pay varies by metro and lab type.
Who can be a laboratory director in Pennsylvania? The Department of Health requires a director with a doctoral level degree and experience acceptable to the Department. For moderate or high complexity testing, the director must also meet the CLIA qualifications for that complexity.
Can a Pennsylvania lab director work remotely? Partly. The Department counts remote presence by phone, email or video toward the daily presence rule, but moderate and high complexity labs need the director onsite every 6 months, at least 4 months apart, and a qualified general supervisor on site during testing when the director is not.
How many labs can one director oversee in Pennsylvania? The regulation says two, but the Department currently allows more with a signed attestation and supporting credentials. CLIA caps a director at five labs for moderate and high complexity testing.
What happens if our lab director leaves? Notify the Bureau of Laboratories immediately with a Change of Status form. The Department may allow up to 6 weeks under a general supervisor while you name a new director.
Does SLC have a Pennsylvania office? No. SLC is a nationwide network with no physical office. We work remotely and make onsite visits as required.
What does SLC charge? Plans from $500. Book a consultation to scope your lab.
Related SLC pages
Talk to SLC about your lab
Tell us what the role was supposed to cover and we'll map it to lab director, technical consultant, and compliance oversight services. Plans from $500.
Sources (verified 2026-11-03): PA DOH: Understanding Clinical Laboratory Regulations in PA (REV 10/2025) · PA DOH: Instructions for the Application Process (REV 10/2025) · 28 Pa. Code Chapter 5 · 42 CFR 493.1407 · 42 CFR 493.1445 · BLS OEWS Pennsylvania (API pull 2026-11-03: OEUS4200000000000119111 13/04 = 103,670/117,690; 292010 13/04 = 51,680/59,470) · CMS CLIA program
Sound Lab Consultants (SLC) is a nationwide laboratory consulting network with no physical office. Mailing address: PO Box 2135, Chandler, AZ 85244. Email: info@soundlabconsult.com.