Post job

Chemist assistant vs chemical technician

The differences between chemist assistants and chemical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chemist assistant has an average salary of $51,817, which is higher than the $42,584 average annual salary of a chemical technician.

The top three skills for a chemist assistant include laboratory instruments, product quality and chemical analysis. The most important skills for a chemical technician are lab equipment, safety procedures, and hazardous materials.

Chemist assistant vs chemical technician overview

Chemist AssistantChemical Technician
Yearly salary$51,817$42,584
Hourly rate$24.91$20.47
Growth rate6%4%
Number of jobs6,14440,191
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age4244
Years of experience-2

What does a chemist assistant do?

Chemist assistants maintain laboratory readiness in supporting the production and contingency operations for instrument maintenance and personnel training. The assistants manage daily laboratory operations such as conducting and recording instrument maintenance. They develop minimum product property tolerances and production standards. It is their job to monitor the quality of products to ensure standard compliance. Also, they support capacity expansion projects, product quality projects, and process improvement initiatives.

What does a chemical technician do?

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.

Chemist assistant vs chemical technician salary

Chemist assistants and chemical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chemist AssistantChemical Technician
Average salary$51,817$42,584
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $87,000Between $30,000 And $58,000
Highest paying City-Baltimore, MD
Highest paying state-Maryland
Best paying company-Calpine
Best paying industry-Pharmaceutical

Differences between chemist assistant and chemical technician education

There are a few differences between a chemist assistant and a chemical technician in terms of educational background:

Chemist AssistantChemical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common majorChemistryChemistry
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaInter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon

Chemist assistant vs chemical technician demographics

Here are the differences between chemist assistants' and chemical technicians' demographics:

Chemist AssistantChemical Technician
Average age4244
Gender ratioMale, 56.3% Female, 43.7%Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%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%
LGBT Percentage5%9%

Differences between chemist assistant and chemical technician duties and responsibilities

Chemist assistant example responsibilities.

  • Test developmental compounds to ASTM standards and manage certification submissions.
  • Take initiative to be cross-train in chemistry methods used by the company to perform additional tests that ensure uninterrupt laboratory operation.
  • Conduct enzyme assays and performance testing with different enzymes in liquid and powder detergent formulations.

Chemical technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage daily production schedule, monitor machine operation, addressed any etching machinery problems.
  • Used the FTIR to determine the consistency of the BPA.
  • Sample preparation for ICP, ICPMS, FLAA, and IC.
  • Metal analysis through ICP OES testing.
  • Perform GC/MS analyses using sw846, EPA and CLP methodologies.
  • Maintain, organize, and update MSDS database for entire company.
  • Show more

Chemist assistant vs chemical technician skills

Common chemist assistant skills
  • Laboratory Instruments, 27%
  • Product Quality, 13%
  • Chemical Analysis, 6%
  • HPLC, 5%
  • Analytical Instrumentation, 4%
  • Lab Equipment, 4%
Common chemical technician skills
  • Lab Equipment, 10%
  • Safety Procedures, 8%
  • Hazardous Materials, 5%
  • OSHA, 5%
  • Math, 5%
  • Troubleshoot, 3%

Browse life, physical, and social science jobs