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The differences between laboratory assistants and medical 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 assistant and a medical laboratory technician. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, 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 medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,168 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $16.43 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 50,853 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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 medical laboratory technician is responsible for assisting medical health professionals in conducting laboratory tests to diagnose patients' conditions and provide treatments. Medical laboratory technicians ensure the sanitation of all the tools and equipment before conducting tests. They collect adequate blood samples and specimens, analyze fluid elements, utilize laboratory equipment safely, create reports of findings, and alert medical personnel and medical technologists of emergency conditions. A medical laboratory technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry disciplines and processes to perform sensitive tasks and release accurate medical results.
Laboratory assistants and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,168 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $44,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | UST Global | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory assistant and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Biology | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between laboratory assistants' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| 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, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |