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The differences between computed tomography technologists and certified medical 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 computed tomography technologist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a computed tomography technologist has an average salary of $60,749, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a computed tomography technologist include patients, CT and ARRT. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Computed Tomography Technologist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $60,749 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $29.21 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 51,721 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Computed tomography (CT) technologists use CT equipment to take images of a patient's body. CT technologists locate any possible internal injuries and diagnose related diseases. They prepare patients for examinations by answering questions then by positioning them for minimum radiation exposure. To perform their job well, they are using radiation safety practices and industry-standard techniques. It is also part of their job to provide patients with direct care and enforce improvement procedures.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Computed tomography technologists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Computed Tomography Technologist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $60,749 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $106,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oakland, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Philips Medical Systems | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a computed tomography technologist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Computed Tomography Technologist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 57% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Nursing |
| Most common college | Texas A&M University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between computed tomography technologists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Computed Tomography Technologist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.9% Female, 60.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.2% Asian, 6.0% White, 73.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |