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The differences between anesthesia technicians and operating room technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both an anesthesia technician and an operating room technician. Additionally, an operating room technician has an average salary of $53,636, which is higher than the $39,640 average annual salary of an anesthesia technician.
The top three skills for an anesthesia technician include patients, patient care and BLS. The most important skills for an operating room technician are patients, patient care, and surgical procedures.
| Anesthesia Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,640 | $53,636 |
| Hourly rate | $19.06 | $25.79 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 78,132 | 96,065 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
An operating room technician is responsible for assisting in the operating room procedures, ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the room, inspecting the condition of machines before the operation, and preparing medical tools and equipment accordingly. Operating room technicians guide the patients throughout the surgical procedures, instructing them as necessary regarding the processes. They also monitor the adequacy of surgical supplies inventory and write request reports for purchase. An operating room technician must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multitask to attend to different patients' needs within a strict, demanding time.
Anesthesia technicians and operating room technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Anesthesia Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,640 | $53,636 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $35,000 And $81,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | Corvallis, OR |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | Maxim Healthcare Group |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an anesthesia technician and an operating room technician in terms of educational background:
| Anesthesia Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Bachelor's Degree, 34% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | New York University |
Here are the differences between anesthesia technicians' and operating room technicians' demographics:
| Anesthesia Technician | Operating Room Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| 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, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 13% |