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The differences between chemistry laboratory technicians and medical 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 chemistry laboratory technician, becoming a medical laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $40,072 average annual salary of a chemistry laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a chemistry laboratory technician include lab equipment, test results and laboratory tests. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Chemistry Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $40,072 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $19.27 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 43,043 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A chemical laboratory technician is an individual who works in a designated laboratory to conduct analytical or lab-based tests on a variety of chemicals, materials, or products. Chemical laboratory technicians receive and test samples for quality assurance, safety inspection, or environmental impact. Under the supervision of chemists and other team members, they perform lab activities such as setting up lab equipment and preparing chemical solutions. Chemistry laboratory technicians can work in different industries such as pharmaceutical, mining, food, and environmental organizations.
A medical laboratory technician is responsible for assisting medical health professionals in conducting laboratory tests to diagnose patients' conditions and provide treatments. Medical laboratory technicians ensure the sanitation of all the tools and equipment before conducting tests. They collect adequate blood samples and specimens, analyze fluid elements, utilize laboratory equipment safely, create reports of findings, and alert medical personnel and medical technologists of emergency conditions. A medical laboratory technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry disciplines and processes to perform sensitive tasks and release accurate medical results.
Chemistry laboratory technicians and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemistry Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $40,072 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $49,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Denver, CO | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Zoetis | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a chemistry laboratory technician and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Chemistry Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between chemistry laboratory technicians' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Chemistry Laboratory Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.7% Female, 52.3% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 9.2% White, 62.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |