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The differences between analytical technicians and research technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an analytical technician, becoming a research technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an analytical technician has an average salary of $69,177, which is higher than the $43,034 average annual salary of a research technician.
The top three skills for an analytical technician include lab equipment, HPLC and SQL. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Analytical Technician | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $69,177 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $33.26 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 48,581 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Analytical technicians and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Analytical Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $69,177 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $114,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Meta | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an analytical technician and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Analytical Technician | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between analytical technicians' and research technicians' demographics:
| Analytical Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |