Laboratory director vs nurse manager

The differences between laboratory directors and nurse managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a laboratory director and a nurse manager. Additionally, a laboratory director has an average salary of $92,971, which is higher than the $83,684 average annual salary of a nurse manager.

The top three skills for a laboratory director include clinical laboratory, patients and patient care. The most important skills for a nurse manager are patients, home health, and CPR.

Laboratory director vs nurse manager overview

	Laboratory Director	Nurse Manager
Yearly salary	$92,971	$83,684
Hourly rate	$44.70	$40.23
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	59,500	380,264
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

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 nurse manager do?

The primary role of nurse managers is to supervise the nursing staff in a clinical or hospital setting. They are the ones who are in charge of patient care, setting work schedules, and making budgetary and management decisions. They are also responsible for making personnel decisions, coordinating meetings, and creating safe environments that promote patient engagement and aid the healthcare team's work. Their role is vital in promoting a culture in which team members contribute to professional growth and patient outcomes.

Laboratory director vs nurse manager salary

Laboratory directors and nurse managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Director	Nurse Manager
Average salary	$92,971	$83,684
Salary range	Between $55,000 And $156,000	Between $60,000 And $115,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Las Vegas, NV
Highest paying state	Delaware	Nevada
Best paying company	Reed Smith	BD
Best paying industry	Media	Health Care

Differences between laboratory director and nurse manager education

There are a few differences between a laboratory director and a nurse manager in terms of educational background:

	Laboratory Director	Nurse Manager
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 60%	Bachelor's Degree, 45%
Most common major	Biology	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Laboratory director vs nurse manager demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory directors' and nurse managers' demographics:

	Laboratory Director	Nurse Manager
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%	Male, 13.5% Female, 86.5%
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, 12.1% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 7.6% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between laboratory director and nurse manager 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.

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Nurse manager example responsibilities.

Case manage workers compensation cases, administer drug testing, surveillance testing, minor 1st aid and CPR instruction.
Assess and manage various allergic and life threatening reactions of chemotherapy medications.
Manage staff of medical personnel providing care for telemetry, geriatric and general medicine patients.
Involve in utilization review and chart audits for all appropriate documentation for medicaid, Medicare and manage care organizations.
Manage surgical recovery patients including vascular, ENT, GI urological and neurological cases, coronary bypass surgery patients.
Maintain current ACLS and BLS certifications.

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Laboratory director vs nurse manager skills

Common laboratory director skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Patients, 10%
Patient Care, 9%
CLIA, 6%
Test Results, 6%
Laboratory Services, 4%

Common nurse manager skills

Patients, 22%
Home Health, 8%
CPR, 4%
Customer Service, 4%
Performance Improvement, 3%
Surgery, 3%

Laboratory Director vs. similar jobs

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Updated January 8, 2025

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