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The differences between clinical laboratory scientists and senior medical technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a clinical laboratory scientist and a senior medical technologist. Additionally, a clinical laboratory scientist has an average salary of $67,900, which is higher than the $60,849 average annual salary of a senior medical technologist.
The top three skills for a clinical laboratory scientist include patients, test results and microbiology. The most important skills for a senior medical technologist are customer service, blood pressure, and OSHA.
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,900 | $60,849 |
| Hourly rate | $32.64 | $29.25 |
| Growth rate | 17% | - |
| Number of jobs | 133,838 | 113,217 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Clinical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for performing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose and treat patients. They examine body fluids, tissues, and cells, identify infective microorganisms, and analyze the chemical constituents of body fluids.
A senior medical technologist specializes in gathering and analyzing blood and bodily samples through a variety of laboratory experiments. They mostly work at hospitals and medical laboratories, working together with other laboratory professionals and physicians. Among their responsibilities include obtaining samples from patients, identifying cell structures and abnormalities, documenting every procedure and observation, and presenting detailed and summarized reports to physicians or patients promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a senior medical technologist, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior medical technologists while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.
Clinical laboratory scientists and senior medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $67,900 | $60,849 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $99,000 | Between $44,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Westpac | Baptist Health Care |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a clinical laboratory scientist and a senior medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between clinical laboratory scientists' and senior medical technologists' demographics:
| Clinical Laboratory Scientist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |