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The differences between chemical technicians and lead laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a chemical technician, becoming a lead laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a lead laboratory technician has an average salary of $54,230, which is higher than the $42,584 average annual salary of a chemical technician.
The top three skills for a chemical technician include lab equipment, safety procedures and hazardous materials. The most important skills for a lead laboratory technician are patients, lab equipment, and customer service.
| Chemical Technician | Lead Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,584 | $54,230 |
| Hourly rate | $20.47 | $26.07 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 40,191 | 77,096 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.
A Lead Laboratory Technician coordinates the operations of a laboratory. They supervise the preparation of specimens for tests, collection of blood, examination of blood samples, and other duties performed by the technician team.
Chemical technicians and lead laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemical Technician | Lead Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,584 | $54,230 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $58,000 | Between $33,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Calpine | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a chemical technician and a lead laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Chemical Technician | Lead Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon | New York University |
Here are the differences between chemical technicians' and lead laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Chemical Technician | Lead Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% | Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |