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The differences between analytical laboratory technicians and quality control chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a quality control chemist has an average salary of $58,892, which is higher than the $41,538 average annual salary of an analytical laboratory technician.
The top three skills for an analytical laboratory technician include lab equipment, analytical lab and HPLC. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.
| Analytical Laboratory Technician | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $41,538 | $58,892 |
| Hourly rate | $19.97 | $28.31 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 50,750 | 90,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
An analytical laboratory technician is responsible for operating various equipment to perform laboratory research and investigations under a professional scientist's supervision. Analytical laboratory technicians ensure the laboratory and machinery's safety and cleanliness to avoid potential hazards and keep accurate laboratory results. They also manage the adequacy of laboratory inventories, create purchase requests, and document findings for reference. An analytical laboratory technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in performing examinations accordingly while following strict safety protocols and regulatory policies.
A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.
Analytical laboratory technicians and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Analytical Laboratory Technician | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average salary | $41,538 | $58,892 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $53,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Elizabethtown, KY | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | Hallstar |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an analytical laboratory technician and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:
| Analytical Laboratory Technician | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between analytical laboratory technicians' and quality control chemists' demographics:
| Analytical Laboratory Technician | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.0% Female, 45.0% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.3% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 21.4% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |