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The differences between formulation 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 formulation technician, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a formulation technician has an average salary of $48,107, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a formulation technician include lean manufacturing, FDA and troubleshoot. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Formulation Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,107 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $23.13 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 45,585 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Formulation Technicians are responsible for preparing and testing formulations samples to meet the research and development goals. Their duties include preparing samples for different formulations, undertaking pilot production studies, assessing storage stability, conducting physical property measuring, and performing chemical and physical formulation assessments. They facilitate global sampling, maintain an accurate record of study data, and participate in team meetings. Formulation Technicians also ensure that laboratory resources are up to acceptable standards and work is done to follow best practices, safety standards, and documented 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.
Formulation technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,107 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $75,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rockville, MD | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Boehringer Ingelheim | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a formulation technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Biology | Nursing |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between formulation technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Formulation Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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 | 9% | 8% |