Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between medical technologists and clinical laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a medical technologist, becoming a clinical laboratory assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical technologist has an average salary of $53,249, which is higher than the $32,679 average annual salary of a clinical laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a medical technologist include patients, clinical laboratory and ASCP. The most important skills for a clinical laboratory assistant are patients, phlebotomy, and clinical lab.
| Medical Technologist | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $53,249 | $32,679 |
| Hourly rate | $25.60 | $15.71 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 116,495 | 108,124 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
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.
A clinical laboratory assistant specializes in performing support tasks in a laboratory or similar setting using their in-depth knowledge. They are primarily responsible for assisting researchers, preparing samples and apparatus, conducting experiments and analysis, maintaining extensive documentation of all processes and results, and reporting to management. Moreover, a clinical laboratory assistant is also responsible for gathering necessary information before beginning studies and maintaining the laboratory's cleanliness and sanitation. It is vital to implement all the safety rules and regulations to ensure a safe and productive work environment.
Medical technologists and clinical laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Technologist | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $53,249 | $32,679 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $68,000 | Between $26,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Colorado | Roswell Park |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a medical technologist and a clinical laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Technologist | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Medical Technician | Biology |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | New York University |
Here are the differences between medical technologists' and clinical laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Medical Technologist | Clinical Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 25.4% Female, 74.6% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.5% Asian, 12.1% White, 54.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |