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The differences between laboratory support technicians and medical laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a laboratory support technician and a medical laboratory technician. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $36,799 average annual salary of a laboratory support technician.
The top three skills for a laboratory support technician include patients, phlebotomy and customer service. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Laboratory Support Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $36,799 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $17.69 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | - | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 131,128 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A laboratory support technician is responsible for assisting scientists and medical professionals in conducting experiments and laboratory examinations. Laboratory support technicians organize samples, label them accurately, and record the results timely on the system. They also ensure that all the laboratory tools and equipment are sterilized and well-maintained, avoiding possible contaminations that may affect the accuracy of deliverables. A laboratory support technician coordinates with the patients for appointments, releasing of medical results, and applying scientific methods on evaluating data. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties as needed under the supervision of a head laboratory technician.
A medical laboratory technician is responsible for assisting medical health professionals in conducting laboratory tests to diagnose patients' conditions and provide treatments. Medical laboratory technicians ensure the sanitation of all the tools and equipment before conducting tests. They collect adequate blood samples and specimens, analyze fluid elements, utilize laboratory equipment safely, create reports of findings, and alert medical personnel and medical technologists of emergency conditions. A medical laboratory technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry disciplines and processes to perform sensitive tasks and release accurate medical results.
Laboratory support technicians and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Support Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $36,799 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $50,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Thousand Oaks, CA | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Sandia National Labs | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a laboratory support technician and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Support Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Biology | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between laboratory support technicians' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Laboratory Support Technician | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.4% Female, 54.6% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 10.9% White, 55.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |