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The differences between laboratory supervisors and medical technologists 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 medical technologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory supervisor has an average salary of $67,361, which is higher than the $53,249 average annual salary of a medical technologist.
The top three skills for a laboratory supervisor include clinical laboratory, patients and chemistry. The most important skills for a medical technologist are patients, clinical laboratory, and ASCP.
| Laboratory Supervisor | Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,361 | $53,249 |
| Hourly rate | $32.39 | $25.60 |
| Growth rate | 3% | - |
| Number of jobs | 49,957 | 116,495 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid. The produced results will be crucial to a patient's diagnosis and further treatments. It is also essential for medical technologists to keep a precise record of data and coordinate with fellow team members and physicians to ensure the fast and efficient delivery of results. Furthermore, a medical technologist can choose to work in different establishments such as a hospital, laboratory, or private clinic.
Laboratory supervisors and medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Supervisor | Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $67,361 | $53,249 |
| Salary range | Between $47,000 And $96,000 | Between $41,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Children's Hospital Colorado |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory supervisor and a medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Supervisor | Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| 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 medical technologists' demographics:
| Laboratory Supervisor | Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| 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, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |