Laboratory director vs laboratory research assistant

The differences between laboratory directors and laboratory research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a laboratory director, becoming a laboratory research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory director has an average salary of $92,971, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.

The top three skills for a laboratory director include clinical laboratory, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.

Laboratory director vs laboratory research assistant overview

	Laboratory Director	Laboratory Research Assistant
Yearly salary	$92,971	$36,537
Hourly rate	$44.70	$17.57
Growth rate	28%	17%
Number of jobs	59,500	87,343
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Average age	47	38
Years of experience	6	2

What does a laboratory director do?

A Laboratory Director is responsible for the overall operation and administration of the laboratory. They examine data, create reports, manage the staff, and ensure that the lab facility operates in accordance with the regulatory provisions of the government and the organization.

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 director vs laboratory research assistant salary

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

	Laboratory Director	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average salary	$92,971	$36,537
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $156,000	Between $24,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Delaware	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Reed Smith	New York University
Best paying industry	Media	Education

Differences between laboratory director and laboratory research assistant education

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

	Laboratory Director	Laboratory Research Assistant
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 78%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Harvard University

Laboratory director vs laboratory research assistant demographics

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

	Laboratory Director	Laboratory Research Assistant
Average age	47	38
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 8.1% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	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	12%	8%

Differences between laboratory director and laboratory research assistant duties and responsibilities

Laboratory director example responsibilities.

Perform and manage quality control, maintenance and calibration of all equipment in hematology, coagulation and urinalysis.
Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
Consult patients on various laboratory procedures involve in IVF.
Supervise 8 managers and 130 full-time employees (FTEs).
Focus on sterility, endotoxin, water and bioburden testing.
Restore compliance integrity of lab back to full capacity in time for JCAHO inspection.

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 director vs laboratory research assistant skills

Common laboratory director skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Patients, 10%
Patient Care, 9%
CLIA, 6%
Test Results, 6%
Laboratory Services, 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 Director vs Laboratory Research Assistant

Updated January 8, 2025

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