Data collection technician vs laboratory assistant

The differences between data collection technicians and laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a data collection technician and a laboratory assistant. Additionally, a data collection technician has an average salary of $53,779, which is higher than the $34,168 average annual salary of a laboratory assistant.

The top three skills for a data collection technician include GPS, GIS and traffic counters. The most important skills for a laboratory assistant are patients, phlebotomy, and customer service.

Data collection technician vs laboratory assistant overview

	Data Collection Technician	Laboratory Assistant
Yearly salary	$53,779	$34,168
Hourly rate	$25.86	$16.43
Growth rate	7%	9%
Number of jobs	93,879	50,853
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	12	12

Data collection technician vs laboratory assistant salary

Data collection technicians and laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Data Collection Technician	Laboratory Assistant
Average salary	$53,779	$34,168
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $75,000	Between $26,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	UST Global
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between data collection technician and laboratory assistant education

There are a few differences between a data collection technician and a laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:

	Data Collection Technician	Laboratory Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 53%	Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common major	Business	Biology
Most common college	University of Maryland - College Park	New York University

Data collection technician vs laboratory assistant demographics

Here are the differences between data collection technicians' and laboratory assistants' demographics:

	Data Collection Technician	Laboratory Assistant
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 66.8% Female, 33.2%	Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 13.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between data collection technician and laboratory assistant duties and responsibilities

Data collection technician example responsibilities.

Used UNIX as well as the windows FTP platforms to accomplish these tasks.
Test pharmaceutical products using HPLC.
Utilize GPS and GIS software to create a map showing the location, direction and depth of underground utilities.
Map creation, customer service, quality checks, GIS
Upload data into GIS software and navigate software daily.
Network operation support for order entry, design, VoIP and field operation teams.

Laboratory assistant example responsibilities.

Comfort frighten patients and maintain an exceptionally bright professional demeanor to accomplish a procedure that makes most people very uncomfortable.
Maintain and QC check laboratory equipment.
Preform laboratory duties using microscopes, centrifuges and a host of other laboratory equipment.
Provide excellent customer service to patients while accurately updating patient demographics, insurance and billing information in LabCorp LCM program.
Provide continuing education in the form of periodic in-services relating the phlebotomy procedures, tests and proper specimen collection requirements.
Process eyewear to meet national ANSII and OSHA standards.

Data collection technician vs laboratory assistant skills

Common data collection technician skills

GPS, 33%
GIS, 14%
Traffic Counters, 11%
Traffic Data, 10%
Data Analysis, 8%
RF, 6%

Common laboratory assistant skills

Patients, 15%
Phlebotomy, 12%
Customer Service, 6%
Lab Procedures, 5%
Specimen Collection, 5%
Patient Care, 5%

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Data Collection Technician
Data Collection Technician vs Laboratory Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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