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The differences between laboratory aides and medical technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a laboratory aide, becoming a medical technologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical technologist has an average salary of $53,249, 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 medical technologist are patients, clinical laboratory, and ASCP.
| Laboratory Aide | Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $28,083 | $53,249 |
| Hourly rate | $13.50 | $25.60 |
| Growth rate | 9% | - |
| Number of jobs | 89,595 | 116,495 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid. The produced results will be crucial to a patient's diagnosis and further treatments. It is also essential for medical technologists to keep a precise record of data and coordinate with fellow team members and physicians to ensure the fast and efficient delivery of results. Furthermore, a medical technologist can choose to work in different establishments such as a hospital, laboratory, or private clinic.
Laboratory aides and medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Aide | Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $28,083 | $53,249 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $38,000 | Between $41,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Illumina | Children's Hospital Colorado |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory aide and a medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Aide | Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | New York University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between laboratory aides' and medical technologists' demographics:
| Laboratory Aide | Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |