Laboratory manager of operations vs laboratory director

The differences between laboratory managers of operations and laboratory directors 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 manager of operations and a laboratory director. Additionally, a laboratory director has an average salary of $92,971, which is higher than the $82,251 average annual salary of a laboratory manager of operations.

The top three skills for a laboratory manager of operations include clinical laboratory, chemistry and CLIA. The most important skills for a laboratory director are clinical laboratory, patients, and patient care.

Laboratory manager of operations vs laboratory director overview

	Laboratory Manager Of Operations	Laboratory Director
Yearly salary	$82,251	$92,971
Hourly rate	$39.54	$44.70
Growth rate	6%	28%
Number of jobs	261,366	59,500
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Average age	44	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a laboratory manager of operations do?

A laboratory manager provides laboratory diagnostics and medical information to patients. They act as a supervisor who monitors, inspects, and oversees all operations in a laboratory facility. They give training and information seminars to laboratory technicians on how to manage, repair, and use all laboratory equipment and software. Also, they are responsible for monitoring the inventory of supplies, laboratory tools, and other equipment.

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.

Laboratory manager of operations vs laboratory director salary

Laboratory managers of operations and laboratory directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Laboratory Manager Of Operations	Laboratory Director
Average salary	$82,251	$92,971
Salary range	Between $49,000 And $137,000	Between $55,000 And $156,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	Delaware
Best paying company	-	Reed Smith
Best paying industry	-	Media

Differences between laboratory manager of operations and laboratory director education

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

	Laboratory Manager Of Operations	Laboratory Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 63%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Laboratory manager of operations vs laboratory director demographics

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

	Laboratory Manager Of Operations	Laboratory Director
Average age	44	47
Gender ratio	Male, 64.0% Female, 36.0%	Male, 55.9% Female, 44.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	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%
LGBT Percentage	10%	12%

Differences between laboratory manager of operations and laboratory director duties and responsibilities

Laboratory manager of operations example responsibilities.

Manage and conduct GLP evaluations and audits of service providers and facilities and processes.
Manage laboratory operations and staff, including test method development in compliance regulatory standards (ASTM, ISO, FDA).
Set up forensic DNA laboratory, train laboratory technicians in advance molecular techniques, and manage day-to-day activities of forensic DNA laboratory
Mass DEP, OSHA, etc .).
Prepare reagents and standards according to EPA procedures.
Interact with FDA on product testing issues and laboratory inspections.

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 manager of operations vs laboratory director skills

Common laboratory manager of operations skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Chemistry, 8%
CLIA, 7%
Lab Operations, 7%
Laboratory Safety, 6%
OSHA, 5%

Common laboratory director skills

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

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Laboratory Manager Of Operations
Laboratory Manager Of Operations vs Laboratory Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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