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The differences between laboratory aides and laboratory supervisors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a laboratory aide and a laboratory supervisor. Additionally, a laboratory supervisor has an average salary of $67,361, which is higher than the $28,083 average annual salary of a laboratory aide.
The top three skills for a laboratory aide include patients, specimen handling and lab equipment. The most important skills for a laboratory supervisor are clinical laboratory, patients, and chemistry.
| Laboratory Aide | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $28,083 | $67,361 |
| Hourly rate | $13.50 | $32.39 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 89,595 | 49,957 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A laboratory aide is primarily responsible for maintaining the cleanliness and order in laboratories, all while performing support tasks for scientists. Their duties revolve around arranging specimens and samples, transporting materials from one laboratory to another, preparing apparatuses and machines, and storing them accordingly. A laboratory aide may also run errands, produce progress reports, sanitize areas and instruments, and properly dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste. Furthermore, it is crucial to implement the laboratory's safety policies and regulations, ensuring a safe and healthy laboratory environment for everyone.
The primary job of laboratory supervisors is to oversee the daily operations of laboratories. They are responsible for facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of laboratory results. Other responsibilities include supervising personnel, managing the operating budget of the laboratory, and hiring employees. Laboratory supervisors are responsible for overseeing quality assurance and enforcing practices to ensure quality control within the laboratory. Aside from these tasks, they also manage the acquisition of laboratory equipment and supplies and resolve any technical or administrative issues within the laboratory.
Laboratory aides and laboratory supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Aide | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $28,083 | $67,361 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $38,000 | Between $47,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Illumina | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory aide and a laboratory supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Aide | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | New York University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between laboratory aides' and laboratory supervisors' demographics:
| Laboratory Aide | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 12.1% White, 54.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 12.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |