Molecular technologist vs medical laboratory scientist

The differences between molecular technologists and medical laboratory scientists 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 technologist and a medical laboratory scientist. Additionally, a molecular technologist has an average salary of $54,483, which is higher than the $54,377 average annual salary of a medical laboratory scientist.

The top three skills for a molecular technologist include clinical laboratory, next-generation sequencing and molecular biology. The most important skills for a medical laboratory scientist are patients, ASCP, and clinical laboratory.

Molecular technologist vs medical laboratory scientist overview

	Molecular Technologist	Medical Laboratory Scientist
Yearly salary	$54,483	$54,377
Hourly rate	$26.19	$26.14
Growth rate	8%	-
Number of jobs	76,319	121,913
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	2

What does a molecular technologist do?

A molecular technologist is responsible for conducting laboratory examinations for clinical trials and medical research. Molecular technologists collect laboratory samples and document scientific findings to support claims and initial theories. They also utilize various advanced laboratory equipment and machinery, requiring them to have excellent knowledge of organizational skills to prevent potential hazards and inconsistencies in results. A molecular technologist works with chemical solutions and sensitive samples, resulting in strict compliance and adherence to safety protocols and regulations.

What does a medical laboratory scientist do?

As a medical laboratory scientist, you will be responsible for analyzing various types of body specimens, including blood, tissue, and urine. You will conduct scientific testing on samples and report the results to physicians. These results play an essential role in the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions or illnesses such as heart disease and diabetes. Your duties and responsibilities may include maintaining laboratory equipment such as microscopes and cell counters, tracking patient outcomes, and conducting differential cell counts. You are also expected to oversee the work of laboratory technicians.

Molecular technologist vs medical laboratory scientist salary

Molecular technologists and medical laboratory scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Molecular Technologist	Medical Laboratory Scientist
Average salary	$54,483	$54,377
Salary range	Between $36,000 And $81,000	Between $41,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	San Jose, CA	Reno, NV
Highest paying state	Alaska	Alaska
Best paying company	Columbia University in the City of New York	Eli Lilly and Company
Best paying industry	Education	Health Care

Differences between molecular technologist and medical laboratory scientist education

There are a few differences between a molecular technologist and a medical laboratory scientist in terms of educational background:

	Molecular Technologist	Medical Laboratory Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common major	Biology	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
Most common college	Harvard University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Molecular technologist vs medical laboratory scientist demographics

Here are the differences between molecular technologists' and medical laboratory scientists' demographics:

	Molecular Technologist	Medical Laboratory Scientist
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 42.0% Female, 58.0%	Male, 33.7% Female, 66.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 15.0% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 12.7% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between molecular technologist and medical laboratory scientist duties and responsibilities

Molecular technologist example responsibilities.

Manage and maintain Tecan for automate pipetting.
Perform DNA and RNA isolation from blood, bone marrow, and tissue.
Perform PCR on patient samples for various genes and check for proper amplification using gel electrophoresis.
Follow the standard and newly add laboratory procedures and maintain compliance with OSHA, CLIA and safety risk management guidelines.
Participate in technical laboratory tasks including bone marrow culture initiation, harvest, slide preparation and banding.
Report preparation including individual cell analysis and any further testing results along with a composite karyotype according to ISCN naming protocol.

Medical laboratory scientist example responsibilities.

Attain extensive phlebotomy experience with a challenging pediatric patient population.
Perform complex laboratory diagnostic tests as medical laboratory scientist in hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, urinalysis and blood bank.
Evaluate quality control within the laboratory using standard laboratory test and measurement controls while maintaining compliance with CLIA and OSHA.
Execute and analyze test in areas including, hematology, urinalysis, serology, bacteriology, chemistry and transfusion services.
Assist in Cerner LIS system implementation and resource as super user.
Experience in immunology, infectious disease testing, and therapeutic drug monitoring.

Molecular technologist vs medical laboratory scientist skills

Common molecular technologist skills

Clinical Laboratory, 11%
Next-Generation Sequencing, 10%
Molecular Biology, 7%
CLIA, 6%
Extraction, 6%
Specimen Handling, 4%

Common medical laboratory scientist skills

Patients, 13%
ASCP, 11%
Clinical Laboratory, 10%
MLS, 8%
Proficiency Testing, 5%
Patient Care, 4%

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Molecular Technologist vs Medical Laboratory Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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