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The differences between medical laboratory assistants 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 medical laboratory assistant and a medical laboratory technician. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $34,673 average annual salary of a medical laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a medical laboratory assistant include patients, customer service and data entry. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Medical Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $34,673 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $16.67 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 124,322 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A medical laboratory assistant is in charge of performing support tasks while under the supervision and directives of a more experienced medical technician or scientist. Their responsibilities typically revolve around collecting samples such as blood and tissues, preparing slides, running tests using machines and equipment, and maintaining records of all procedures and results. Furthermore, a medical laboratory assistant must also keep the cleanliness of the laboratory, organize and monitor inventories, procure supplies, and implement the laboratory's policies and regulations.
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.
Medical laboratory assistants and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $34,673 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $27,000 And $42,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | Eugene, OR | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Alaska |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical laboratory assistant and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 27% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | - | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between medical laboratory assistants' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Medical Laboratory Assistant | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.9% Female, 81.1% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 22.4% Asian, 9.1% White, 51.8% 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 | 6% | 8% |