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The differences between chemical operators and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a chemical operator, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a chemical operator has an average salary of $40,526, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a chemical operator include safety procedures, math and process equipment. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Chemical Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,526 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $19.48 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 36,522 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 12 |
A chemical operator is responsible for maintaining heavy machines and equipment for chemical processing operations. Chemical operators inspect machinery for any malfunctions, perform immediate repairs, and replace defective components as needed to ensure the equipment's safety and efficiency. They carefully handle chemicals, observe the mixing process, and support process development by assisting on strategic procedures to maximize productivity and plan initiatives. A chemical operator must adhere to the safety protocols of the production, especially on storing chemicals, recording information to the database, and operating machines.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Chemical operators and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemical Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,526 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $51,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | New York | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Westinghouse Appliances Australia | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a chemical operator and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Chemical Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Business | Nursing |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between chemical operators' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Chemical Operator | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 47 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 91.1% Female, 8.9% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 19.3% Asian, 4.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |