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The differences between analytical technicians and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an analytical technician has an average salary of $69,177, which is higher than the $64,961 average annual salary of a chemist.
The top three skills for an analytical technician include lab equipment, HPLC and SQL. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.
| Analytical Technician | Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $69,177 | $64,961 |
| Hourly rate | $33.26 | $31.23 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 48,581 | 20,221 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | - |
Analytical technicians are professionals who are responsible for managing the daily operation of activities in a laboratory as well as maintain lab equipment to ensure a high standard of sanitation. These technicians must assist in laboratory work, such as developing analytical test methods and performing analysis of raw materials and in-process samples. They are required to maintain relevant files and data records but should inform the laboratory manager when they are faced with technical problems. Analytical technicians should also determine the physical and chemical properties of compounds by using quantitative and qualitative analyses.
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Analytical technicians and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Analytical Technician | Chemist | |
| Average salary | $69,177 | $64,961 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $114,000 | Between $46,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an analytical technician and a chemist in terms of educational background:
| Analytical Technician | Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between analytical technicians' and chemists' demographics:
| Analytical Technician | Chemist | |
| Average age | 44 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 8.4% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 5% |