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The differences between laboratory chemists and laboratory 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 $40,038 average annual salary of a laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a laboratory chemist include lab equipment, chromatography and analytical methods. The most important skills for a laboratory technician are patients, lab equipment, and customer service.
| Laboratory Chemist | Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $62,702 | $40,038 |
| Hourly rate | $30.15 | $19.25 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 41,322 | 84,357 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 12 |
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.
Laboratory technicians are medical professionals who work in the laboratory. They are responsible for the equipment in the laboratory, making sure tools are properly sanitized and sterilized after every use. They also ensure that laboratory equipment works well. Laboratory technicians may also be responsible for collecting and testing samples from patients. They prepare solutions and other chemicals that may be needed for testing. They also provide an analysis of the samples that they tested. Laboratory technicians ensure that all items in the laboratory are properly labeled and organized.
Laboratory chemists and laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Chemist | Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $62,702 | $40,038 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $86,000 | Between $27,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Nutley, NJ | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Alaska |
| Best paying company | BASF | Tenaska |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory chemist and a laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Chemist | Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | New York University |
Here are the differences between laboratory chemists' and laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Chemist | Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 42 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% | Male, 53.3% Female, 46.7% |
| 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, 10.2% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |