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The differences between laboratory assistants and laboratory coordinators 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 assistant, becoming a laboratory coordinator takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory coordinator has an average salary of $52,690, which is higher than the $34,168 average annual salary of a laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a laboratory assistant include patients, phlebotomy and customer service. The most important skills for a laboratory coordinator are lab equipment, patients, and patient care.
| Laboratory Assistant | Laboratory Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,168 | $52,690 |
| Hourly rate | $16.43 | $25.33 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 50,853 | 64,914 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
Laboratory assistants work for researchers, scientists, or professors in the laboratory setting. They are expected to have a solid background in the field of study of the laboratory they are assigned to. They do a variety of tasks in the laboratory, such as setting up equipment, observing experiments, analyzing results, creating reports, and recommending improvements to the testing. They may also be assigned to clean and sanitize laboratory equipment as needed. Laboratory assistants should have good research skills, analytical skills, and organizational skills.
A laboratory coordinator is responsible for supporting laboratory examinations and experiments, collecting laboratory samples, and ensuring the efficiency and performance of laboratory tools and equipment. Laboratory coordinators maintain the cleanliness and orderliness of the laboratory facility at all times to avoid contaminations and hazards that may affect laboratory results and accuracy of examinations. They also perform scientific processes under the supervision of a scientist or laboratory technicians and keep an organized report of findings in the database.
Laboratory assistants and laboratory coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Assistant | Laboratory Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $34,168 | $52,690 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $44,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | UST Global | AbbVie |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a laboratory assistant and a laboratory coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Assistant | Laboratory Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between laboratory assistants' and laboratory coordinators' demographics:
| Laboratory Assistant | Laboratory Coordinator | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% | Male, 41.5% Female, 58.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 13.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |