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The differences between anesthesia technicians and nurse technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become an anesthesia technician, becoming a nurse technician takes usually requires 1-3 months. Additionally, an anesthesia technician has an average salary of $39,640, which is higher than the $33,005 average annual salary of a nurse technician.
The top three skills for an anesthesia technician include patients, patient care and BLS. The most important skills for a nurse technician are patients, CPR, and vital signs.
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,640 | $33,005 |
| Hourly rate | $19.06 | $15.87 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 78,132 | 195,553 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 3 |
Anesthesia technicians are healthcare professionals who oversee activities related to anesthetics. They administer anesthesia to patients and assist doctors in related activities. They also monitor the patient after the anesthesia is administered to ensure that no harmful side effects occurred. Anesthesia technicians are expected to know how to test for anesthetic allergies and to spot signs of such allergies. They should be familiar with the different techniques, solutions, and equipment used for anesthetic procedures. Aside from those, anesthesia technicians are also expected to manage the inventory of anesthetic solutions and to trigger purchase requests for new stocks.
Nurse technicians, also known as nursing aides, assistants, or attendants, usually work in clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes. Primarily, they help a registered nurse by providing essential mobility, care, and support to patients. Everyday routine duties include maintaining patients' hygiene and moving them using wheelchairs or stretchers around the facility for their meals, treatment, events, and other activities. They do tasks that help improve a patient's comfort level and become their caregivers in the long run. This job requires a high school diploma along with the completed certified nursing assistant (CNA) program.
Anesthesia technicians and nurse technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,640 | $33,005 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | Carondelet High School |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an anesthesia technician and a nurse technician in terms of educational background:
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 39% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | - |
Here are the differences between anesthesia technicians' and nurse technicians' demographics:
| Anesthesia Technician | Nurse Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% | Male, 16.9% Female, 83.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.6% Asian, 8.0% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 7% |