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The differences between histotechnicians and laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a histotechnician and a laboratory technician. Additionally, a histotechnician has an average salary of $49,119, which is higher than the $40,038 average annual salary of a laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a histotechnician include ASCP, tissue specimens and CLIA. The most important skills for a laboratory technician are patients, lab equipment, and customer service.
| Histotechnician | Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $49,119 | $40,038 |
| Hourly rate | $23.61 | $19.25 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 42,647 | 84,357 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Histotechnicians are clinical laboratory technicians who prepare thin body tissue samples by pathologists. The majority of the technicians work in hospitals or libraries. Among the duties they perform include special stains, filling slides and blocks, send-outs, and re-cuts. They execute routine and complex non-routine special stains like tissue and specimen cutting and embedding. It is also their responsibility to execute routine maintenance and calibrations of microscopes, automated slide strainers, and microtomes.
Laboratory technicians are medical professionals who work in the laboratory. They are responsible for the equipment in the laboratory, making sure tools are properly sanitized and sterilized after every use. They also ensure that laboratory equipment works well. Laboratory technicians may also be responsible for collecting and testing samples from patients. They prepare solutions and other chemicals that may be needed for testing. They also provide an analysis of the samples that they tested. Laboratory technicians ensure that all items in the laboratory are properly labeled and organized.
Histotechnicians and laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Histotechnician | Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $49,119 | $40,038 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $80,000 | Between $27,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Stanford Health Care | Tenaska |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a histotechnician and a laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Histotechnician | Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 46% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between histotechnicians' and laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Histotechnician | Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.5% Female, 72.5% | Male, 53.3% Female, 46.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |