Microbiology technician vs laboratory analyst

The differences between microbiology technicians and laboratory analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a microbiology technician, becoming a laboratory analyst takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory analyst has an average salary of $44,024, which is higher than the $40,084 average annual salary of a microbiology technician.

The top three skills for a microbiology technician include lab equipment, test results and laboratory procedures. The most important skills for a laboratory analyst are test methods, lab equipment, and lims.

Microbiology technician vs laboratory analyst overview

	Microbiology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Yearly salary	$40,084	$44,024
Hourly rate	$19.27	$21.17
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	25,704	44,074
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	40	38
Years of experience	4	2

What does a microbiology technician do?

A Microbiology Technician helps microbiologists and other scientists conduct experiments and other tests. They usually work in labs and examine microscopic subjects, such as diseases, fungi, and algae.

What does a laboratory analyst do?

A Laboratory Analyst helps conduct experiments, run laboratory tests, and analyze results. They compile and record data for the documentation needed for testing and report preparation.

Microbiology technician vs laboratory analyst salary

Microbiology technicians and laboratory analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Microbiology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average salary	$40,084	$44,024
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $53,000	Between $31,000 And $62,000
Highest paying City	Central Islip, NY	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New York
Best paying company	Thomas Jefferson University	AbbVie
Best paying industry	Health Care	Pharmaceutical

Differences between microbiology technician and laboratory analyst education

There are a few differences between a microbiology technician and a laboratory analyst in terms of educational background:

	Microbiology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 75%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Cornell University	Stanford University

Microbiology technician vs laboratory analyst demographics

Here are the differences between microbiology technicians' and laboratory analysts' demographics:

	Microbiology Technician	Laboratory Analyst
Average age	40	38
Gender ratio	Male, 40.8% Female, 59.2%	Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.3% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 14.1% Asian, 14.1% White, 51.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4%	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	6%	8%

Differences between microbiology technician and laboratory analyst duties and responsibilities

Microbiology technician example responsibilities.

Job duties begin in a general microbiology/ infectious disease laboratory focuse on cultivating and managing infectious strains of microbes.
Apply GMP and GLP documentation for all sample testing.
Prepare culture media, perform culture media QC test, and maintain appropriate inventory, perform growth promotion testing and sterility.
Quantify total aerobic plate count and total yeast and mold count.
Keep records of all tests in database and keep entries of QA checks.
Use of microscopes, autoclaves, carboys, manual and electric pipettes, etc.

Laboratory analyst example responsibilities.

Use sophisticate laboratory instrumentation (HPLC, FTIR, UV, GC) and computer systems to collect and record data.
Analyze organic compounds using gravimetric, titration, distillation and spectrophotometry methods.
Prepare for and represent the laboratory during FDA, customer, and ISO audits.
Complete preparation of organic samples for GC, HPLC, IR and GCMS analysis.
Prepare solid and aqueous samples for analysis on diagnostic instruments including GC, GCMS and IC.
Utilize internal LIMS computer database for data entry and communication.

Microbiology technician vs laboratory analyst skills

Common microbiology technician skills

Lab Equipment, 10%
Test Results, 6%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%
Environmental Monitoring, 5%
Media Preparation, 5%
FDA, 4%

Common laboratory analyst skills

Test Methods, 8%
Lab Equipment, 7%
Lims, 5%
Laboratory Procedures, 5%
Sample Preparation, 5%
Analytical Methods, 4%

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Microbiology Technician
Microbiology Technician vs Laboratory Analyst

Updated January 8, 2025

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