Laboratory associate vs laboratory research assistant

The differences between laboratory associates and laboratory research assistants 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 associate, becoming a laboratory research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory associate has an average salary of $42,756, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.

The top three skills for a laboratory associate include patients, specimen handling and phlebotomy. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.

Laboratory associate vs laboratory research assistant overview

	Laboratory Associate	Laboratory Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$42,756	$36,537
Hourly rate	$20.56	$17.57
Growth rate	-	17%
Number of jobs	50,050	87,343
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	44	38
Years of experience	12	2

What does a laboratory associate do?

A laboratory associate's responsibilities revolve around preparing test samples and subjecting them into different examination processes for scientific purposes. Aside from performing extensive analysis, they are also responsible for recording data, reviewing findings, collaborating with other scientists, and producing various reports and presentations. A laboratory associate can work for an institution or private company; they may also choose to contribute their studies in different publications and research activities. Furthermore, as a laboratory practitioner, it is essential to adhere to all the laboratory safety policies and regulations, ensuring a safe and healthy work environment.

What does a laboratory research assistant do?

A laboratory research assistant is an individual who performs lab experiments and carries out projects designed by senior lab staff members. Laboratory research assistants design and conduct experiments using biohazards and other dangerous materials to gain information and test scientific processes. They must write detailed reports of their research and experiments and then deliver these reports in written and verbal forms. Laboratory research assistants may also work in different settings such as medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies.

Laboratory associate vs laboratory research assistant salary

Laboratory associates and laboratory research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Associate	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average salary	$42,756	$36,537
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $63,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	New Brunswick, NJ	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Meta	New York University
Best paying industry	Pharmaceutical	Education

Differences between laboratory associate and laboratory research assistant education

There are a few differences between a laboratory associate and a laboratory research assistant in terms of educational background:

	Laboratory Associate	Laboratory Research Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	New York University	Harvard University

Laboratory associate vs laboratory research assistant demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory associates' and laboratory research assistants' demographics:

	Laboratory Associate	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average age	44	38
Gender ratio	Male, 42.2% Female, 57.8%	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 12.2% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between laboratory associate and laboratory research assistant duties and responsibilities

Laboratory associate example responsibilities.

Manage supply inventory and maintain cleanliness.
Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
Direct patient care, phlebotomy, medical billing, clinical laboratory specimen collection, reference laboratory coordinator, specimen courier.
Operate combines to harvest crops for yield-testing field crops.
Perform fluorescence in situ hybridization in a CLIA certify lab.
Utilize CoPath for receiving specimen and reporting out of test results.

Laboratory research assistant example responsibilities.

Manage participant records according to IRB guidelines to ensure confidentiality.
Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
Maintain microbial culture and isolate and purify bacterial and viral DNA and RNA to study the genome of common pathogenic bacteria.
Perform protein extraction on larvae.
Perform biological assays, including ELISA and RT-PCR.
Gain extensive MLST, RT-PCR, conventional PCR, primer design and gel-electrophoresis experience.

Laboratory associate vs laboratory research assistant skills

Common laboratory associate skills

Patients, 10%
Specimen Handling, 6%
Phlebotomy, 6%
Chemistry, 6%
Customer Service, 4%
Patient Care, 4%

Common laboratory research assistant skills

Data Collection, 5%
Patients, 5%
Laboratory Equipment, 5%
Lab Procedures, 5%
Laboratory Techniques, 5%
Molecular Biology, 4%

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Laboratory Associate
Laboratory Associate vs Laboratory Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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