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The differences between chemistry laboratory assistants and research 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 chemistry laboratory assistant, becoming a research technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research technician has an average salary of $43,034, which is higher than the $30,971 average annual salary of a chemistry laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a chemistry laboratory assistant include lab equipment, lab safety and chemistry lab. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Chemistry Laboratory Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $30,971 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $14.89 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 40,180 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Chemical Laboratory Assistants are professionals who help researchers and scientists in performing lab experiments and tests. Their tasks involve the maintenance, cleanliness, or sterilization of laboratory equipment or instruments. They perform physical or chemical laboratory tests assisting scientists in the quantitative or qualitative analyses of liquids, gaseous materials, and solids. The necessary skills and knowledge for this job include chemistry, lab reporting, chemical solutions, and safety procedures.
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Chemistry laboratory assistants and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemistry Laboratory Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $30,971 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $58,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Hartford, CT | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | Rhode Island | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Pace University | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Education | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a chemistry laboratory assistant and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Chemistry Laboratory Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between chemistry laboratory assistants' and research technicians' demographics:
| Chemistry Laboratory Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.5% Female, 54.5% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.5% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |