Groundwater monitoring technician vs laboratory analyst

The differences between groundwater monitoring technicians and laboratory analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a groundwater monitoring technician and a laboratory analyst. Additionally, a laboratory analyst has an average salary of $44,024, which is higher than the $42,107 average annual salary of a groundwater monitoring technician.

The top three skills for a groundwater monitoring technician include process equipment, patients and EEG. The most important skills for a laboratory analyst are test methods, lab equipment, and lims.

Groundwater monitoring technician vs laboratory analyst overview

	Groundwater Monitoring Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Yearly salary	$42,107	$44,024
Hourly rate	$20.24	$21.17
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	26,047	44,074
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

What does a groundwater monitoring technician do?

A groundwater monitoring technician does a lot of environmental monitoring, such as sampling soil and water along with air monitoring. Serving in this capacity, you will be expected to work with environmental technicians to examine problems with groundwater bodies. The end result of your analysis is valuable data about water systems which will help determine portable water, waste disposal, and construction developments.

What does a laboratory analyst do?

A Laboratory Analyst helps conduct experiments, run laboratory tests, and analyze results. They compile and record data for the documentation needed for testing and report preparation.

Groundwater monitoring technician vs laboratory analyst salary

Groundwater monitoring technicians and laboratory analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Groundwater Monitoring Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average salary	$42,107	$44,024
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $62,000	Between $31,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	Huntington Hospital	AbbVie
Best paying industry	Construction	Pharmaceutical

Differences between groundwater monitoring technician and laboratory analyst education

There are a few differences between a groundwater monitoring technician and a laboratory analyst in terms of educational background:

	Groundwater Monitoring Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Business	Biology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Stanford University

Groundwater monitoring technician vs laboratory analyst demographics

Here are the differences between groundwater monitoring technicians' and laboratory analysts' demographics:

	Groundwater Monitoring Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 66.0% Female, 34.0%	Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between groundwater monitoring technician and laboratory analyst duties and responsibilities

Groundwater monitoring technician example responsibilities.

Manage daily RCRA inspections and mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment preventive/corrective maintenance procedures.
Enroll pre-trial release and probation clients into strict alcohol abstinence and GPS monitoring programs.
Well inspections, which consist of making sure they are completed properly and getting a GPS coordinate.
Perform operational checks and acceptance testing on monitoring equipment to include calibration and maintenance on ACAMS and DAAMS.
Monitor epileptic patients for seizure activity.
Interpret remote patient EKG readings accurately and efficiently.

Laboratory analyst example responsibilities.

Use sophisticate laboratory instrumentation (HPLC, FTIR, UV, GC) and computer systems to collect and record data.
Analyze organic compounds using gravimetric, titration, distillation and spectrophotometry methods.
Prepare for and represent the laboratory during FDA, customer, and ISO audits.
Complete preparation of organic samples for GC, HPLC, IR and GCMS analysis.
Prepare solid and aqueous samples for analysis on diagnostic instruments including GC, GCMS and IC.
Utilize internal LIMS computer database for data entry and communication.

Groundwater monitoring technician vs laboratory analyst skills

Common groundwater monitoring technician skills

Process Equipment, 30%
Patients, 21%
EEG, 6%
OSHA, 5%
LDAR, 5%
CPR, 4%

Common laboratory analyst skills

Test Methods, 8%
Lab Equipment, 7%
Lims, 5%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%
Sample Preparation, 5%
Analytical Methods, 4%

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Groundwater Monitoring Technician
Groundwater Monitoring Technician vs Laboratory Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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