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The differences between pathological technicians and research technicians 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 research technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a pathological technician has an average salary of $50,684, which is higher than the $43,034 average annual salary of a research technician.
The top three skills for a pathological technician include clinical laboratory, patients and specimen handling. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Pathological Technician | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $50,684 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $24.37 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 1% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 69,003 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 4 |
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 research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Pathological technicians and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pathological Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $50,684 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $69,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Battelle | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a pathological technician and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Pathological Technician | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | New York University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between pathological technicians' and research technicians' demographics:
| Pathological Technician | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.8% Female, 67.2% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |