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The differences between biology laboratory technicians and medical laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a biology laboratory technician, becoming a medical laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $38,514 average annual salary of a biology laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory technician include lab equipment, molecular biology and chemistry. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,514 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $18.52 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 45,470 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
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.
A medical laboratory technician is responsible for assisting medical health professionals in conducting laboratory tests to diagnose patients' conditions and provide treatments. Medical laboratory technicians ensure the sanitation of all the tools and equipment before conducting tests. They collect adequate blood samples and specimens, analyze fluid elements, utilize laboratory equipment safely, create reports of findings, and alert medical personnel and medical technologists of emergency conditions. A medical laboratory technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry disciplines and processes to perform sensitive tasks and release accurate medical results.
Biology laboratory technicians and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,514 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of California | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory technician and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Biology | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory technicians' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| 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, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |