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The differences between clinical technicians and assistant laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a clinical technician and an assistant laboratory technician. Additionally, a clinical technician has an average salary of $35,760, which is higher than the $35,556 average annual salary of an assistant laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a clinical technician include patients, vital signs and phlebotomy. The most important skills for an assistant laboratory technician are patients, ladders, and computer lab.
| Clinical Technician | Assistant Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,760 | $35,556 |
| Hourly rate | $17.19 | $17.09 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 161,812 | 116,488 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.
The primary responsibility of a lab assistant is to help scientists and technologists. Lab assistants are assigned to prepare and monitor tests and experiments in research or medical laboratory. They analyze data and establish reports based on test results. Also, they set up the tools and equipment used in the lab. It is also part of their job to clean the lab rooms--knowledge in lab management, communication skills, attention to detail, and medical-related management.
Clinical technicians and assistant laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Technician | Assistant Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,760 | $35,556 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $48,000 | Between $21,000 And $57,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Manchester, NH |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Brigham and Women's Hospital | Patterson-UTI Energy |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a clinical technician and an assistant laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Technician | Assistant Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Connecticut | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between clinical technicians' and assistant laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Clinical Technician | Assistant Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |