Hydrology technician vs laboratory analyst

The differences between hydrology 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 hydrology technician and a laboratory analyst. Additionally, a hydrology technician has an average salary of $44,955, which is higher than the $44,024 average annual salary of a laboratory analyst.

The top three skills for a hydrology technician include data collection, surface water and hydrologic data. The most important skills for a laboratory analyst are test methods, lab equipment, and lims.

Hydrology technician vs laboratory analyst overview

	Hydrology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Yearly salary	$44,955	$44,024
Hourly rate	$21.61	$21.17
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	10,904	44,074
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Hydrology technician vs laboratory analyst salary

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

	Hydrology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average salary	$44,955	$44,024
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $68,000	Between $31,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Fairbanks, AK	New York, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	AbbVie
Best paying industry	Government	Pharmaceutical

Differences between hydrology technician and laboratory analyst education

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

	Hydrology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 76%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Geology	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	Stanford University

Hydrology technician vs laboratory analyst demographics

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

	Hydrology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 71.3% Female, 28.7%	Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 7.4% White, 60.1% 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 hydrology technician and laboratory analyst duties and responsibilities

Hydrology technician example responsibilities.

Lead a crew of twelve techs in various archaeological excavations.
Create GIS exhibits utilizing ArcMap, the printers and large format plotters.
Devise a database scheme and handle data uploads and downloads between ArcGIS and ArcMap.
Experience with plumbing and pond irrigation.
Perform nitrate and fluoride analysis on drinking waters using an ion exchange electrode.
Monitor conductivity, PH, and nitrate levels and will add nitrate when need.

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.

Hydrology technician vs laboratory analyst skills

Common hydrology technician skills

Data Collection, 17%
Surface Water, 10%
Hydrologic Data, 10%
USGS, 8%
Water Quality Data, 6%
Water Quality Samples, 5%

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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Hydrology Technician vs Laboratory Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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