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The differences between pathological technicians and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a pathological technician and a certified medical technician. Additionally, a pathological technician has an average salary of $50,684, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a pathological technician include clinical laboratory, patients and specimen handling. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Pathological Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,684 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $24.37 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 69,003 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
Pathology technicians, or sometimes referred to as pathology assistants, are professionals who assist pathologists review specimens and tissue samples by utilizing microscopes and other complex lab equipment. These technicians are required to audit lab equipment in the inventory system and provide minor maintenance and calibrations on the lab equipment to avoid errors in test results. They are required to evaluate laboratory test results and record known control values from technical instruments to ensure reliability. Pathological technicians must also handle and organize blood samples taken for pharmacological studies.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Pathological technicians and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pathological Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,684 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Battelle | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a pathological technician and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Pathological Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Biology | Nursing |
| Most common college | New York University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between pathological technicians' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Pathological Technician | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.8% Female, 67.2% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 12.0% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |