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The differences between laboratory managers and supervisors 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 manager, becoming a supervisor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory manager has an average salary of $74,314, which is higher than the $53,902 average annual salary of a supervisor.
The top three skills for a laboratory manager include lab equipment, patients and customer service. The most important skills for a supervisor are customer service, safety procedures, and sales floor.
| Laboratory Manager | Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $74,314 | $53,902 |
| Hourly rate | $35.73 | $25.91 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 43,321 | 224,920 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 48 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Laboratory managers provide accurate laboratory diagnosis through evaluating specimen procedures and coordinating with pathologists to validate laboratory findings. They are responsible for maintaining laboratory tools and equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of instruments before and after use, organizing equipment based on its function, and immediately repairing or replacing defective items. A laboratory manager also secures the confidentiality of laboratory systems, keeping records of results, and releasing information to the appropriate personnel. Laboratory managers must have a broad knowledge of the scientific industry, as well as excellent analytical and critical-thinking skills.
Supervisors are responsible for overseeing the daily functions of employees in a specific team, department, or even a work shift. They create work schedules, organize work processes and workflows, train new hires, provide necessary reports related to the team function and the employees, monitor and evaluate employee performance, and ensure that goals of the specific team or department are met. When needed, supervisors also provide guidance to employees in terms of their career or even personal challenges. They also help in fostering harmonious work relationships by resolving interpersonal conflicts at work. To be successful in their role, they must have leadership skills, time management skills, decision-making capabilities, analytical skills, and problem-solving skills.
Laboratory managers and supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Manager | Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $74,314 | $53,902 |
| Salary range | Between $49,000 And $111,000 | Between $31,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Meta | Reed Smith |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory manager and a supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Manager | Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between laboratory managers' and supervisors' demographics:
| Laboratory Manager | Supervisor | |
| Average age | 48 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 55.8% Female, 44.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 12.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 4.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |