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The differences between laboratory supervisors and clinical laboratory scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a laboratory supervisor, becoming a clinical laboratory scientist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a clinical laboratory scientist has an average salary of $67,900, which is higher than the $67,361 average annual salary of a laboratory supervisor.
The top three skills for a laboratory supervisor include clinical laboratory, patients and chemistry. The most important skills for a clinical laboratory scientist are patients, test results, and microbiology.
| Laboratory Supervisor | Clinical Laboratory Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,361 | $67,900 |
| Hourly rate | $32.39 | $32.64 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 49,957 | 133,838 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
The primary job of laboratory supervisors is to oversee the daily operations of laboratories. They are responsible for facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of laboratory results. Other responsibilities include supervising personnel, managing the operating budget of the laboratory, and hiring employees. Laboratory supervisors are responsible for overseeing quality assurance and enforcing practices to ensure quality control within the laboratory. Aside from these tasks, they also manage the acquisition of laboratory equipment and supplies and resolve any technical or administrative issues within the laboratory.
A Clinical Laboratory Scientist is responsible for performing laboratory tests that doctors count on to correctly diagnose and treat patients. They examine body fluids, tissues, and cells, identify infective microorganisms, and analyze the chemical constituents of body fluids.
Laboratory supervisors and clinical laboratory scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Supervisor | Clinical Laboratory Scientist | |
| Average salary | $67,361 | $67,900 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $96,000 | Between $46,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Westpac |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory supervisor and a clinical laboratory scientist in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Supervisor | Clinical Laboratory Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between laboratory supervisors' and clinical laboratory scientists' demographics:
| Laboratory Supervisor | Clinical Laboratory Scientist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 34.8% Female, 65.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 12.0% White, 53.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 15.4% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |