Microbiological laboratory technician vs medical laboratory technician

The differences between microbiological laboratory technicians and medical laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a microbiological laboratory technician, becoming a medical laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $38,713 average annual salary of a microbiological laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a microbiological laboratory technician include microbiology lab, laboratory procedures and aseptic technique. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.

Microbiological laboratory technician vs medical laboratory technician overview

	Microbiological Laboratory Technician	Medical Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary	$38,713	$51,780
Hourly rate	$18.61	$24.89
Growth rate	9%	16%
Number of jobs	44,567	88,721
Job satisfaction	-	3.33
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Associate Degree, 55%
Average age	40	44
Years of experience	4	12

What does a microbiological laboratory technician do?

A microbiological laboratory technician specializes in handling and testing samples, ensuring accuracy and safety. Often working under the supervision of a more experienced scientist, a microbiological laboratory technician has the responsibility to operate various devices and machines, record all progress and data, review results, and produce reports and documentation. There are also instances when a technician must submit results within deadlines or follow a senior scientist's directives. Furthermore, it is essential to adhere to the safety policies and rules of the laboratory at all times.

What does a medical laboratory technician do?

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.

Microbiological laboratory technician vs medical laboratory technician salary

Microbiological laboratory technicians and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Microbiological Laboratory Technician	Medical Laboratory Technician
Average salary	$38,713	$51,780
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $50,000	Between $37,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	Burlington, MA	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Alaska
Best paying company	AstraZeneca	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Manufacturing	Health Care

Differences between microbiological laboratory technician and medical laboratory technician education

There are a few differences between a microbiological laboratory technician and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:

	Microbiological Laboratory Technician	Medical Laboratory Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 79%	Associate Degree, 55%
Most common major	Biology	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
Most common college	Cornell University	University of Maryland - College Park

Microbiological laboratory technician vs medical laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between microbiological laboratory technicians' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:

	Microbiological Laboratory Technician	Medical Laboratory Technician
Average age	40	44
Gender ratio	Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0%	Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 15.2% White, 51.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.3%	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%

Differences between microbiological laboratory technician and medical laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Microbiological laboratory technician example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Interpret titration curves, nmr graphs, IR spectroscopy and GC graphs.
Prepare bacterial, fungus and yeast cell cultures used for GLP testing under FDA/EPA guidelines.
contract )--cut fabric for testing--run Laund-Orometer--ICP, AA, titration
Conduct schedule preventive maintenance and calibration of equipment (i.e., GC/MS, HPLC, GPC, pH meter).
Test in-house USP water samples for microbiological contamination.

Medical laboratory technician example responsibilities.

Assist in managing office functions through strong knowledge of PACS, Fuji CR, and EMR systems.
Accomplish constant multitasking between phlebotomy, reception and lab on a daily basis while providing outstanding customer communication skills.
Conduct clinical diagnostic laboratory tests and specimen analysis in hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, serology and immunology.
Experience in the areas of chemistry, hematology, serology, urinalysis, coagulation and microbiology specimen preparation.
Serve as rotational general laboratory technician in urinalysis, serology, chemistry, hematology, coagulation, microbiology, and shipping.
Pass and receive ASCP MLT certification upon graduation.

Microbiological laboratory technician vs medical laboratory technician skills

Common microbiological laboratory technician skills

Microbiology Lab, 9%
Laboratory Procedures, 7%
Aseptic Technique, 6%
Lab Equipment, 6%
Food Safety, 6%
Test Results, 5%

Common medical laboratory technician skills

Medical Laboratory, 10%
Patients, 10%
ASCP, 9%
Clinical Laboratory, 8%
MLT, 6%
Patient Care, 4%

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Microbiological Laboratory Technician
Microbiological Laboratory Technician vs Medical Laboratory Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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