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The differences between molecular laboratory technologists and senior medical technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a molecular laboratory technologist and a senior medical technologist. Additionally, a senior medical technologist has an average salary of $60,849, 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 senior medical technologist are customer service, blood pressure, and OSHA.
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,239 | $60,849 |
| Hourly rate | $24.63 | $29.25 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 86,280 | 113,217 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
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 senior medical technologist specializes in gathering and analyzing blood and bodily samples through a variety of laboratory experiments. They mostly work at hospitals and medical laboratories, working together with other laboratory professionals and physicians. Among their responsibilities include obtaining samples from patients, identifying cell structures and abnormalities, documenting every procedure and observation, and presenting detailed and summarized reports to physicians or patients promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a senior medical technologist, it is essential to lead and serve as a mentor to junior medical technologists while implementing the facility's policies and regulations.
Molecular laboratory technologists and senior medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $51,239 | $60,849 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $69,000 | Between $44,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Baptist Health Care |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a molecular laboratory technologist and a senior medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between molecular laboratory technologists' and senior medical technologists' demographics:
| Molecular Laboratory Technologist | Senior Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 33.9% Female, 66.1% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| 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, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |