Biotechnologist vs biotechnician

The differences between biotechnologists and biotechnicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a biotechnologist, becoming a biotechnician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a biotechnician has an average salary of $74,450, which is higher than the $54,160 average annual salary of a biotechnologist.

The top three skills for a biotechnologist include R, GMP and DNA. The most important skills for a biotechnician are GMP, ISO, and environmental monitoring.

Biotechnologist vs biotechnician overview

	Biotechnologist	Biotechnician
Yearly salary	$54,160	$74,450
Hourly rate	$26.04	$35.79
Growth rate	9%	-
Number of jobs	10,862	612
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age	40	46
Years of experience	4	2

Biotechnologist vs biotechnician salary

Biotechnologists and biotechnicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Biotechnologist	Biotechnician
Average salary	$54,160	$74,450
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $80,000	Between $49,000 And $111,000
Highest paying City	Silver Spring, MD	-
Highest paying state	Connecticut	-
Best paying company	AbbVie	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between biotechnologist and biotechnician education

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

	Biotechnologist	Biotechnician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Johns Hopkins University	Harvard University

Biotechnologist vs biotechnician demographics

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

	Biotechnologist	Biotechnician
Average age	40	46
Gender ratio	Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9%	Male, 54.6% Female, 45.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 5.3% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between biotechnologist and biotechnician duties and responsibilities

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.

Biotechnician example responsibilities.

Manage a team of 16-35 to insure packaging lines are running to standards as far as USDA guidelines and company productivity.
Set up and execute sterile environment procedures (LIMS) including formulating final product.
Participate in internal audits in preparation for regulatory inspections involving MHRA, EPA, and FDA.
Perform daily monitoring of bioreactors and make appropriate adjustments as necessary.
Perform manufacture and testing of vaccines and other biological products in large scale GMP manufacturing facility.
Perform various production processes including batching media, centrifugation and filtration, flocculation and final harvesting for Bioreactor processes.

Biotechnologist vs biotechnician skills

Common biotechnologist skills

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

Common biotechnician skills

GMP, 15%
ISO, 11%
Environmental Monitoring, 10%
PPE, 7%
Production Schedules, 5%
Lims, 5%

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Biotechnologist
Biotechnologist vs Biotechnician

Updated January 8, 2025

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