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The differences between biology laboratory technicians and laboratory researchers 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 technician and a laboratory researcher. Additionally, a biology laboratory technician has an average salary of $38,514, which is higher than the $27,760 average annual salary of a laboratory researcher.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory technician include lab equipment, molecular biology and chemistry. The most important skills for a laboratory researcher are lab procedures, cell culture, and molecular biology.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $38,514 | $27,760 |
| Hourly rate | $18.52 | $13.35 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 45,470 | 57,359 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A biological technician assists medical and biological scientists in conducting laboratory experiments and tests. As a biological technician, you will perform a variety of tasks that include setting up, maintaining, and cleaning laboratory equipment and instruments such as test tubes and microscopes, collecting and preparing biological samples, and analyzing experimental data, and interpreting results. In addition, you will assist medical scientists by administering new treatments and medicines to laboratory animals. You will also perform different techniques such as specimen staining to aid identification.
Laboratory researchers are professionals who manage a research laboratory while performing cellular and biochemical experiments with the primary researcher. These researchers must work with hazardous chemicals and should show expertise in handling lab equipment such as glassware and field equipment. They are required to assist with research projects and interpret the test data of an experiment. They must manage the order of all lab equipment by filling up the purchase requisition forms. Laboratory researchers are required to work with students in all aspects of laboratory research.
Biology laboratory technicians and laboratory researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average salary | $38,514 | $27,760 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $17,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | University of California | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Education |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory technician and a laboratory researcher in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory technicians' and laboratory researchers' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.4% Asian, 12.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |