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The differences between diagnostic technicians 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 diagnostic technician, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a diagnostic technician has an average salary of $49,571, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a diagnostic technician include patients, patient care and CPR. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Diagnostic Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,571 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $23.83 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 70,089 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| 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.
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.
Diagnostic technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Diagnostic Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,571 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $77,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fresno, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Waymo | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a diagnostic technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Diagnostic Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| 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 certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Diagnostic Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 43 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0% | 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% |