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The differences between anesthesia technicians and scrub 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 a scrub technician. Additionally, an anesthesia technician has an average salary of $39,640, which is higher than the $38,718 average annual salary of a scrub technician.
The top three skills for an anesthesia technician include patients, patient care and BLS. The most important skills for a scrub technician are patients, BLS, and surgical procedures.
| Anesthesia Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $39,640 | $38,718 |
| Hourly rate | $19.06 | $18.61 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 78,132 | 71,220 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| 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.
Scrub technicians are surgical technologists who are responsible for assisting surgeons and the surgical team in the operating room. These technicians must set out and sterilize the necessary instruments while helping each member of the surgical team put on their gloves and gowns during a surgical procedure. They are required to pass instruments, sponges, and dressings to the surgeon throughout the procedure. Scrub technicians must also ensure that the operating room and reusable instruments are clean before and after each surgery.
Anesthesia technicians and scrub technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Anesthesia Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Average salary | $39,640 | $38,718 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $52,000 | Between $30,000 And $49,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | White Plains, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | Oregon |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Los Angeles | Lawrence General Hospital |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an anesthesia technician and a scrub technician in terms of educational background:
| Anesthesia Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 38% | Associate Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between anesthesia technicians' and scrub technicians' demographics:
| Anesthesia Technician | Scrub Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% | Male, 20.5% Female, 79.5% |
| 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% |