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The differences between laboratory chemists and chemical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a laboratory chemist has an average salary of $62,702, which is higher than the $42,584 average annual salary of a chemical technician.
The top three skills for a laboratory chemist include lab equipment, chromatography and analytical methods. The most important skills for a chemical technician are lab equipment, safety procedures, and hazardous materials.
| Laboratory Chemist | Chemical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $62,702 | $42,584 |
| Hourly rate | $30.15 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 41,322 | 40,191 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 2 |
Laboratory Chemists are licensed scientists who work with chemicals. They are usually found in academic institutions or research facilities. Laboratory Chemists create experiments based on the needs of the institution or company. They mix different chemicals to make the desired results. They would also analyze compounds borne out of the different mixtures and record their observations. They tabulate the results and present these to the body. Laboratory Chemists should have good organization skills. They should be able to document their experiments properly. This would help the company and future researchers.
A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.
Laboratory chemists and chemical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Chemist | Chemical Technician | |
| Average salary | $62,702 | $42,584 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $86,000 | Between $30,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Nutley, NJ | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Maryland |
| Best paying company | BASF | Calpine |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a laboratory chemist and a chemical technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Chemist | Chemical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon |
Here are the differences between laboratory chemists' and chemical technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Chemist | Chemical Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 9% |