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The differences between laboratory interns and research technicians 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 internship and a research technician. Additionally, a research technician has an average salary of $43,034, which is higher than the $35,305 average annual salary of a laboratory internship.
The top three skills for a laboratory internship include lab procedures, chemistry and python. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Laboratory Internship | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $35,305 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $16.97 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 90,970 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A laboratory intern is responsible for assisting laboratory operations and perform examinations and experiments under the supervision of tenured laboratory staff. Laboratory interns shadow all the laboratory processes, document their observations, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results. They must have excellent knowledge of scientific procedures, demonstrating their class learnings to practical applications. A laboratory intern must be detail-oriented, especially on conducting and verifying the accuracy of research materials. It is also required for a laboratory intern to be a fast-learner, understanding the scientific complexities to master various approaches.
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Laboratory interns and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Internship | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $35,305 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $48,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a laboratory internship and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Internship | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between laboratory interns' and research technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Internship | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.8% Female, 52.2% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 18.2% White, 49.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |