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The differences between laboratory aides and senior 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 laboratory aide and a senior laboratory technician. Additionally, a senior laboratory technician has an average salary of $48,530, 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 senior laboratory technician are lab equipment, patients, and research projects.
| Laboratory Aide | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $28,083 | $48,530 |
| Hourly rate | $13.50 | $23.33 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 89,595 | 63,876 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
A Senior Laboratory Technician is responsible for supervising and coordinating scientific investigations and experiments. They supervise staff, provide technical support, and construct, maintain, and operate standard laboratory equipment.
Laboratory aides and senior laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Aide | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $28,083 | $48,530 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $38,000 | Between $34,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Anchorage, AK | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Illumina | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a laboratory aide and a senior laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Aide | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | New York University | New York University |
Here are the differences between laboratory aides' and senior laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Aide | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.4% Female, 57.6% | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% |
| 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, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |