Biotechnologist vs microbiological laboratory technician

The differences between biotechnologists and microbiological 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 biotechnologist and a microbiological laboratory technician. Additionally, a biotechnologist has an average salary of $54,160, which is higher than the $38,713 average annual salary of a microbiological laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a biotechnologist include R, GMP and DNA. The most important skills for a microbiological laboratory technician are microbiology lab, laboratory procedures, and aseptic technique.

Biotechnologist vs microbiological laboratory technician overview

	Biotechnologist	Microbiological Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary	$54,160	$38,713
Hourly rate	$26.04	$18.61
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	10,862	44,567
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

Biotechnologist vs microbiological laboratory technician salary

Biotechnologists and microbiological laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Biotechnologist	Microbiological Laboratory Technician
Average salary	$54,160	$38,713
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $80,000	Between $29,000 And $50,000
Highest paying City	Silver Spring, MD	Burlington, MA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	Massachusetts
Best paying company	AbbVie	AstraZeneca
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between biotechnologist and microbiological laboratory technician education

There are a few differences between a biotechnologist and a microbiological laboratory technician in terms of educational background:

	Biotechnologist	Microbiological Laboratory Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 64%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Johns Hopkins University	Cornell University

Biotechnologist vs microbiological laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between biotechnologists' and microbiological laboratory technicians' demographics:

	Biotechnologist	Microbiological Laboratory Technician
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9%	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%
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, 11.3% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 15.2% White, 51.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between biotechnologist and microbiological laboratory technician 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.

Microbiological laboratory technician example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Interpret titration curves, nmr graphs, IR spectroscopy and GC graphs.
Prepare bacterial, fungus and yeast cell cultures used for GLP testing under FDA/EPA guidelines.
contract )--cut fabric for testing--run Laund-Orometer--ICP, AA, titration
Conduct schedule preventive maintenance and calibration of equipment (i.e., GC/MS, HPLC, GPC, pH meter).
Test in-house USP water samples for microbiological contamination.

Biotechnologist vs microbiological laboratory technician skills

Common biotechnologist skills

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

Common microbiological laboratory technician skills

Microbiology Lab, 9%
Laboratory Procedures, 7%
Aseptic Technique, 6%
Lab Equipment, 6%
Food Safety, 6%
Test Results, 5%

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Biotechnologist vs Microbiological Laboratory Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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