Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between pathological technicians and medical technologists, generalist can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a pathological technician, becoming a medical technologist, generalist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical technologist, generalist has an average salary of $58,246, which is higher than the $50,684 average annual salary of a pathological technician.
The top three skills for a pathological technician include clinical laboratory, patients and specimen handling. The most important skills for a medical technologist, generalist are patients, clinical laboratory, and hematology.
| Pathological Technician | Medical Technologist, Generalist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,684 | $58,246 |
| Hourly rate | $24.37 | $28.00 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 69,003 | 121,721 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
A Medical Technologist Generalist performs day-to-day operations in the laboratory such as routine testing, quality control, and maintenance of instruments. They also develop, perform, and evaluate the accuracy of laboratory procedures.
Pathological technicians and medical technologists, generalist have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pathological Technician | Medical Technologist, Generalist | |
| Average salary | $50,684 | $58,246 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $42,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Palo Alto, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Battelle | Soliant |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a pathological technician and a medical technologist, generalist in terms of educational background:
| Pathological Technician | Medical Technologist, Generalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | New York University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between pathological technicians' and medical technologists, generalist' demographics:
| Pathological Technician | Medical Technologist, Generalist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.8% Female, 67.2% | Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7% |
| 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, 10.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |