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The differences between molecular laboratory technologists and medical laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a molecular laboratory technologist, 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 $51,239 average annual salary of a molecular laboratory technologist.
The top three skills for a molecular laboratory technologist include next-generation sequencing, clinical laboratory and molecular biology. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $51,239 | $51,780 |
| Hourly rate | $24.63 | $24.89 |
| Growth rate | - | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 86,280 | 88,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3.33 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
A molecular laboratory technologist performs a number of duties to analyze samples in a laboratory setting. Their duties in this position are to collect samples for research, test specimens with a variety of equipment, and study how clinical drugs affect the samples. They are also responsible for maintaining data analysis records, troubleshooting issues, and preparing lab equipment. This position requires advanced education training in molecular biology.
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.
Molecular laboratory technologists and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $51,239 | $51,780 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $69,000 | Between $37,000 And $71,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Los Angeles, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a molecular laboratory technologist and a medical laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Associate Degree, 55% |
| Most common major | Biology | Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between molecular laboratory technologists' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Medical Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 14.1% White, 53.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | 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 | 8% | 8% |