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The differences between medical laboratory technicians and laboratory supervisors 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 technician and a laboratory supervisor. Additionally, a laboratory supervisor has an average salary of $67,361, which is higher than the $51,780 average annual salary of a medical laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a medical laboratory technician include medical laboratory, patients and ASCP. The most important skills for a laboratory supervisor are clinical laboratory, patients, and chemistry.
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Yearly salary | $51,780 | $67,361 |
| Hourly rate | $24.89 | $32.39 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 88,721 | 49,957 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.33 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
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.
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.
Medical laboratory technicians and laboratory supervisors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Average salary | $51,780 | $67,361 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $47,000 And $96,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | Chevron |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a medical laboratory technician and a laboratory supervisor in terms of educational background:
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Maryland - College Park | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between medical laboratory technicians' and laboratory supervisors' demographics:
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Laboratory Supervisor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 52.7% Female, 47.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |