Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between pathologist assistants and pathologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a pathologist assistant, becoming a pathologist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a pathologist has an average salary of $61,808, which is higher than the $50,079 average annual salary of a pathologist assistant.
The top three skills for a pathologist assistant include ASCP, patients and PA. The most important skills for a pathologist are patients, patient care, and diagnosis.
| Pathologist Assistant | Pathologist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,079 | $61,808 |
| Hourly rate | $24.08 | $29.72 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 62,900 | 20,340 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
A pathologist assistant is responsible for helping pathologists in conducting laboratory investigations by studying human specimens and surgical biopsies for diagnosis and identify a person's cause of death. Pathologist assistants perform autopsy functions under the supervision of the pathologist, following the strict safety protocols and regulations. They must have excellent organizational skills, especially in operating various equipment to prevent potential hazards and disease contamination. A pathologist assistant creates a comprehensive report of findings for the pathologist's review before releasing the final records.
Pathologists are medical healthcare professionals who are responsible for conducting examinations of bodies and body tissues. These pathologists must perform laboratory tests of body fluids and tissues to help primary care doctors make a diagnosis about the health of patients who are with chronic conditions. They specialize in genetic testing that will examine a tissue biopsy to determine whether a tumor is benign or cancerous. Pathologists must also perform autopsies to inform family members of the deceased about the cause of death and help them take preventive action for their own health.
Pathologist assistants and pathologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pathologist Assistant | Pathologist | |
| Average salary | $50,079 | $61,808 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $101,000 | Between $25,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Anchorage, AK |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Essentia Health | UT Medical Group, Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a pathologist assistant and a pathologist in terms of educational background:
| Pathologist Assistant | Pathologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Biology | Physiology And Anatomy |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between pathologist assistants' and pathologists' demographics:
| Pathologist Assistant | Pathologist | |
| Average age | 37 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.4% Female, 60.6% | Male, 40.7% Female, 59.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.6% Asian, 9.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 20.4% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 13% |