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The differences between medical technologists and 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 laboratory assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical technologist has an average salary of $53,249, which is higher than the $34,168 average annual salary of a laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a medical technologist include patients, clinical laboratory and ASCP. The most important skills for a laboratory assistant are patients, phlebotomy, and customer service.
| Medical Technologist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $53,249 | $34,168 |
| Hourly rate | $25.60 | $16.43 |
| Growth rate | - | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 116,495 | 50,853 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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.
Laboratory assistants work for researchers, scientists, or professors in the laboratory setting. They are expected to have a solid background in the field of study of the laboratory they are assigned to. They do a variety of tasks in the laboratory, such as setting up equipment, observing experiments, analyzing results, creating reports, and recommending improvements to the testing. They may also be assigned to clean and sanitize laboratory equipment as needed. Laboratory assistants should have good research skills, analytical skills, and organizational skills.
Medical technologists and laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Medical Technologist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $53,249 | $34,168 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $68,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital Colorado | UST Global |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a medical technologist and a laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Medical Technologist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| 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 laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Medical Technologist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% |
| 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, 9.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 13.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |