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The differences between medical laboratory technicians and technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical laboratory technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a medical laboratory technician include medical laboratory, patients and ASCP. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,780 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $24.89 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 88,721 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | 3.33 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Medical laboratory technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,780 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $71,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Favorite Healthcare Staffing | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a medical laboratory technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science | Business |
| Most common college | University of Maryland - College Park | - |
Here are the differences between medical laboratory technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Medical Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |