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The differences between diagnostic technicians and anesthesia 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 diagnostic technician, becoming an anesthesia technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a diagnostic technician has an average salary of $49,571, which is higher than the $39,640 average annual salary of an anesthesia technician.
The top three skills for a diagnostic technician include patients, patient care and CPR. The most important skills for an anesthesia technician are patients, patient care, and BLS.
| Diagnostic Technician | Anesthesia Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,571 | $39,640 |
| Hourly rate | $23.83 | $19.06 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 70,089 | 78,132 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Diagnostic Technicians are specialists in the inspecting, maintenance, and repair of equipment or service. Diagnostic Technicians can be working in the automotive sector, inspecting and repairing cars, to performing ultrasound procedures in the healthcare industry. Their duties include analyzing and collecting data, calibrating equipment, performing diagnostic tests and repairs, and organizing work records and reports. A Diagnostic Technician must have sound knowledge in using technical equipment and adheres to safety regulations when handling any tools.
Anesthesia technicians are healthcare professionals who oversee activities related to anesthetics. They administer anesthesia to patients and assist doctors in related activities. They also monitor the patient after the anesthesia is administered to ensure that no harmful side effects occurred. Anesthesia technicians are expected to know how to test for anesthetic allergies and to spot signs of such allergies. They should be familiar with the different techniques, solutions, and equipment used for anesthetic procedures. Aside from those, anesthesia technicians are also expected to manage the inventory of anesthetic solutions and to trigger purchase requests for new stocks.
Diagnostic technicians and anesthesia technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diagnostic Technician | Anesthesia Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,571 | $39,640 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $77,000 | Between $30,000 And $52,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fresno, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Waymo | Children's Hospital Los Angeles |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Education |
There are a few differences between a diagnostic technician and an anesthesia technician in terms of educational background:
| Diagnostic Technician | Anesthesia Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 38% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Nursing |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between diagnostic technicians' and anesthesia technicians' demographics:
| Diagnostic Technician | Anesthesia Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% |
| 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, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 13% |