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The differences between biology laboratory assistants and wildlife technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a biology laboratory assistant and a wildlife technician. Additionally, a biology laboratory assistant has an average salary of $34,240, which is higher than the $33,462 average annual salary of a wildlife technician.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory assistant include lab equipment, biology laboratory and chemistry. The most important skills for a wildlife technician are GPS, hand tools, and harvest.
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Wildlife Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,240 | $33,462 |
| Hourly rate | $16.46 | $16.09 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 48,958 | 9,809 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A biology laboratory assistant is in charge of assisting scientists or researchers and performing laboratory support tasks on a daily basis. Their responsibilities include setting up and sanitizing equipment, preparing samples, maintaining documentation of all experiments and procedures, writing laboratory reports, and running errands as needed. There are also instances where they must update databases, answer calls and correspondence, and grade student papers. Furthermore, a biology laboratory assistant must maintain the cleanliness of laboratories, all while implementing its policies and regulations.
A wildlife technician is responsible for supporting wildlife biologists and management personnel on conducting research projects for habitat preservation and environmental welfare. Wildlife technicians create data reports, assist in laboratory examinations, collect biological samples, and maintaining the safety and security of the premises by observing surveillance equipment and adhering to safety policies and protocols. They also operate and inspect the efficiency of tools and equipment, provide routine maintenance, and request immediate repairs as necessary. A wildlife technician helps in planning wildlife programs and managing information dissemination to the public.
Biology laboratory assistants and wildlife technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Wildlife Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,240 | $33,462 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $52,000 | Between $25,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgewater, MA | Springfield, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Hampshire |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Boulder County |
| Best paying industry | Government | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory assistant and a wildlife technician in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Wildlife Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory assistants' and wildlife technicians' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Wildlife Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.7% Female, 63.3% | Male, 66.5% Female, 33.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 14.9% White, 50.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% | Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 10.1% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |