Microscopist vs surveillance technician

The differences between microscopists and surveillance technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a microscopist and a surveillance technician. Additionally, a microscopist has an average salary of $51,773, which is higher than the $41,279 average annual salary of a surveillance technician.

The top three skills for a microscopist include chemistry, asbestos and electron microscope. The most important skills for a surveillance technician are ladders, CCTV, and construction sites.

Microscopist vs surveillance technician overview

	Microscopist	Surveillance Technician
Yearly salary	$51,773	$41,279
Hourly rate	$24.89	$19.85
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	7,513	13,099
Job satisfaction	-	1
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 83%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Microscopist vs surveillance technician salary

Microscopists and surveillance technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Microscopist	Surveillance Technician
Average salary	$51,773	$41,279
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $85,000	Between $30,000 And $55,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between microscopist and surveillance technician education

There are a few differences between a microscopist and a surveillance technician in terms of educational background:

	Microscopist	Surveillance Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 83%	Bachelor's Degree, 44%
Most common major	Biology	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	Stanford University

Microscopist vs surveillance technician demographics

Here are the differences between microscopists' and surveillance technicians' demographics:

	Microscopist	Surveillance Technician
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1%	Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 10.4% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between microscopist and surveillance technician duties and responsibilities

Microscopist example responsibilities.

Manage daily RCRA inspections and mechanical, electrical, and electronic equipment preventive/corrective maintenance procedures.
Design and perform research studies on particle chemistry.
Perform QC analysis for accuracy.
Quantify asbestos levels in air and building material samples for state and federal environmental remediation projects.
Prepare bulk asbestos samples, analyze samples utilizing polarize light microscopy with dispersion staining and enter sample results into data system.
Assist HAZWOPER technicians with logistical support for operations on project operations including research of facilities and vendors need for project completion.

Surveillance technician example responsibilities.

Manage implementation and networking of multi-million dollar tactical datalink architecture consisting of windows base and proprietary systems.
Manage numerous outdoor storage locations for government ammunition stockpiles while simultaneously providing rapid logistical support to facilitate employee training.
Switch over to digital recording which involve IP addressing cameras, video encoders, hard drive arrays, and Cisco switches.
Maintain hardware and software systems and manual records require to successfully perform stock control accounting procedures for ammunition and explosives.
Maintain physical control over all entrances to the SCIF.
Use of DoD equipment and technologies for surveillance monitoring.

Microscopist vs surveillance technician skills

Common microscopist skills

Chemistry, 32%
Asbestos, 20%
Electron Microscope, 10%
QC, 10%
Transmission Electron Microscopy, 6%
PLM, 4%

Common surveillance technician skills

Ladders, 10%
CCTV, 8%
Construction Sites, 7%
Surveillance Equipment, 7%
CST, 6%
Security Integrity, 5%

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Microscopist vs Surveillance Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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