Laboratory instructor vs flight instructor

The differences between laboratory instructors and flight instructors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a laboratory instructor and a flight instructor. Additionally, a flight instructor has an average salary of $51,324, which is higher than the $49,931 average annual salary of a laboratory instructor.

The top three skills for a laboratory instructor include lab procedures, molecular biology and patient care. The most important skills for a flight instructor are aircraft systems, syllabus, and CFI.

Laboratory instructor vs flight instructor overview

	Laboratory Instructor	Flight Instructor
Yearly salary	$49,931	$51,324
Hourly rate	$24.01	$24.68
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	63,100	25,735
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	4	4

What does a laboratory instructor do?

A Laboratory Instructor works closely with students and faculty in laboratories. They set up and prepare the laboratory for experiments, and organize and maintain equipment and supplies. They also teach students how to properly use laboratory equipment, tools, and machines. Laboratory Instructors are responsible for maintaining the routine preventative maintenance of all laboratory equipment. Other duties include reinforcing laboratory housekeeping and safety protocol, coordinating with other engineering departments, and receiving, installing, and maintaining laboratory supplies and equipment.

What does a flight instructor do?

A Flight Instructor is responsible for teaching students how to fly aircrafts. They prepare lesson plans and evaluate and monitor students performance.

Laboratory instructor vs flight instructor salary

Laboratory instructors and flight instructors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Instructor	Flight Instructor
Average salary	$49,931	$51,324
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $78,000	Between $32,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City	Springfield, MA	Atwater, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	Hutchinson Community College	Cirrus Aircraft
Best paying industry	Education	Manufacturing

Differences between laboratory instructor and flight instructor education

There are a few differences between a laboratory instructor and a flight instructor in terms of educational background:

	Laboratory Instructor	Flight Instructor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 66%	Bachelor's Degree, 63%
Most common major	Biology	Aviation
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	Stanford University

Laboratory instructor vs flight instructor demographics

Here are the differences between laboratory instructors' and flight instructors' demographics:

	Laboratory Instructor	Flight Instructor
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 51.3% Female, 48.7%	Male, 90.9% Female, 9.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 15.2% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 11.4% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between laboratory instructor and flight instructor duties and responsibilities

Laboratory instructor example responsibilities.

Assist classmates with developing positive study habits and strategies for managing classroom material.
Lecture on physiology via computer simulations which include group student discussion.
Prepare physiology equipment and dissection demonstration cats for other teaching assistants to follow.
Upgrade PowerPoint presentations with audio/visual animations and computer graphics, which appeal to the students thus increasing their attentiveness.
Demonstrate unit components utilizing hands-on instruction and PowerPoint presentations; describe experimentation process, and guide students through executing experiments.
Identify appropriate techniques for teaching and responding to literature, and ways to effectively use literacy to positively impact diversity education.

Flight instructor example responsibilities.

Manage the daily maintenance efforts for 9 P-3C aircraft to meet short and long range flight tasking.
Manage and monitor all flight systems and electrical in-flight avionics of various commercial aircraft equipment types.
Conduct training using, CBT, stand-up lectures, PowerPoint, Wicat 2D FMS, and FTD trainers.
Diagnose, troubleshoot malfunctions and perform extensive maintenance operational checks on all systems.
Create and maintain training records for USAF students.
Maintain relationships with both local DPE's and FBO managers.

Laboratory instructor vs flight instructor skills

Common laboratory instructor skills

Lab Procedures, 26%
Molecular Biology, 8%
Patient Care, 7%
Anatomy, 5%
Student Performance, 5%
Organic Chemistry, 5%

Common flight instructor skills

Aircraft Systems, 9%
Syllabus, 8%
CFI, 8%
Flight Operations, 6%
Training Programs, 5%
PowerPoint, 5%

Laboratory Instructor vs. similar jobs

Laboratory Instructor related careers

Laboratory Instructor related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Education, Training, and Library Industry
Laboratory Instructor
Laboratory Instructor vs Flight Instructor

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse education, training, and library jobs