Biologist vs biotechnologist

The differences between biologists and biotechnologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a biologist, becoming a biotechnologist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a biologist has an average salary of $65,158, which is higher than the $54,160 average annual salary of a biotechnologist.

The top three skills for a biologist include data collection, GPS and renewable energy. The most important skills for a biotechnologist are R, GMP, and DNA.

Biologist vs biotechnologist overview

	Biologist	Biotechnologist
Yearly salary	$65,158	$54,160
Hourly rate	$31.33	$26.04
Growth rate	1%	9%
Number of jobs	5,741	10,862
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	8	4

Biologist vs biotechnologist salary

Biologists and biotechnologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Biologist	Biotechnologist
Average salary	$65,158	$54,160
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $91,000	Between $36,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Silver Spring, MD
Highest paying state	New York	Connecticut
Best paying company	Google	AbbVie
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	-

Differences between biologist and biotechnologist education

There are a few differences between a biologist and a biotechnologist in terms of educational background:

	Biologist	Biotechnologist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 78%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	University of California, Berkeley	Johns Hopkins University

Biologist vs biotechnologist demographics

Here are the differences between biologists' and biotechnologists' demographics:

	Biologist	Biotechnologist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 51.4% Female, 48.6%	Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 10.4% White, 71.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 10.6% Asian, 13.5% White, 58.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2%
LGBT Percentage	10%	6%

Differences between biologist and biotechnologist duties and responsibilities

Biologist example responsibilities.

Train for GLP compliance - manage transition of department to GLP/GCP compliance for CRO accreditation.
Work closely with other project leads to make sure sampling protocols for Chinook, chum and steelhead are followed.
Manage detailed GLP laboratory manual daily.
Create and manage multidisciplinary, interagency research teams.
Conduct data analysis for mark-recapture studies of juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead trout abundance.
Train ODA staff in GIS data management and model development, providing document protocols for future GIS use.

Biotechnologist example responsibilities.

Manage laboratories and perform clinical research in diabetic and thyroid disease states.
Perform standard PCR assays for research group.
Purify enzymes using gravity, low pressure liquid chromatography, and AKTA FPLC.
Participate in semi-annual proficiency testing for forensic casework (CTS) and proficiency testing for engraftment monitoring (ASHI).
Quantify the final product form using solvent extraction and normal phase HPLC.
Maintain documentation and batch records in accordance with ISO and CE-IVD regulations.

Biologist vs biotechnologist skills

Common biologist skills

Data Collection, 7%
GPS, 6%
Renewable Energy, 6%
Cell Culture, 5%
GIS, 4%
Technical Reports, 4%

Common biotechnologist skills

R, 23%
GMP, 13%
DNA, 13%
PCR, 12%
Assays, 10%
Extraction, 10%

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Biologist vs Biotechnologist

Updated January 8, 2025

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