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The differences between biology laboratory technicians and research laboratory 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 technician and a research laboratory technician. Additionally, a biology laboratory technician has an average salary of $38,514, which is higher than the $38,308 average annual salary of a research laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory technician include lab equipment, molecular biology and chemistry. The most important skills for a research laboratory technician are patients, chemistry, and laboratory equipment.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,514 | $38,308 |
| Hourly rate | $18.52 | $18.42 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 45,470 | 86,476 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| 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.
Research laboratory technicians play a vital role in scientific laboratories. They perform varied duties and responsibilities, which include setting up, operating, and maintaining the laboratory equipment, assisting in laboratory-based research activities such as sampling, testing, and analyzing results, and providing technical support to the laboratory team members. In addition, they are expected to support the development and advancement of science and modern medicine. Other typical duties of research laboratory technicians include preparing samples and specimens, keeping abreast with current technical developments, and ensuring strict compliance with safety procedures.
Biology laboratory technicians and research laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,514 | $38,308 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $50,000 | Between $30,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Chicago, IL |
| Highest paying state | California | Illinois |
| Best paying company | University of California | Accenture |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory technician and a research laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory technicians' and research laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Technician | Research Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4% | Male, 49.0% Female, 51.0% |
| 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, 12.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.5% Asian, 15.7% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |