Pathology laboratory technologist vs medical laboratory technician

The differences between pathology laboratory technologists and medical laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a pathology laboratory technologist, becoming a medical laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical laboratory technician has an average salary of $51,780, which is higher than the $41,812 average annual salary of a pathology laboratory technologist.

The top three skills for a pathology laboratory technologist include data entry, OSHA and specimen handling. The most important skills for a medical laboratory technician are medical laboratory, patients, and ASCP.

Pathology laboratory technologist vs medical laboratory technician overview

	Pathology Laboratory Technologist	Medical Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary	$41,812	$51,780
Hourly rate	$20.10	$24.89
Growth rate	10%	16%
Number of jobs	85,046	88,721
Job satisfaction	-	3.33
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Associate Degree, 55%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	2	12

Pathology laboratory technologist vs medical laboratory technician salary

Pathology laboratory technologists and medical laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pathology Laboratory Technologist	Medical Laboratory Technician
Average salary	$41,812	$51,780
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $59,000	Between $37,000 And $71,000
Highest paying City	-	Los Angeles, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between pathology laboratory technologist and medical laboratory technician education

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

	Pathology Laboratory Technologist	Medical Laboratory Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 72%	Associate Degree, 55%
Most common major	Biology	Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science
Most common college	SUNY Stony Brook	University of Maryland - College Park

Pathology laboratory technologist vs medical laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between pathology laboratory technologists' and medical laboratory technicians' demographics:

	Pathology Laboratory Technologist	Medical Laboratory Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 36.3% Female, 63.7%	Male, 29.3% Female, 70.7%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 13.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between pathology laboratory technologist and medical laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Pathology laboratory technologist example responsibilities.

Operate and manage standard quality control on laboratory equipment as well as some specialize equipment for serology studies.
Perform both RNA and DNA PCR (RT-PCR) assays.
Master DNA/RNA extraction and amplification.
Programme DNA extraction, amplification and analysis software.
Evaluate quality control using standard laboratory tests and measurement controls and maintain compliance with CLIA, OSHA, safety and risk-management guidelines
Fill in for the transcription department when they have people out of the office.

Medical laboratory technician example responsibilities.

Assist in managing office functions through strong knowledge of PACS, Fuji CR, and EMR systems.
Accomplish constant multitasking between phlebotomy, reception and lab on a daily basis while providing outstanding customer communication skills.
Conduct clinical diagnostic laboratory tests and specimen analysis in hematology, coagulation, urinalysis, serology and immunology.
Experience in the areas of chemistry, hematology, serology, urinalysis, coagulation and microbiology specimen preparation.
Serve as rotational general laboratory technician in urinalysis, serology, chemistry, hematology, coagulation, microbiology, and shipping.
Pass and receive ASCP MLT certification upon graduation.

Pathology laboratory technologist vs medical laboratory technician skills

Common pathology laboratory technologist skills

Data Entry, 9%
OSHA, 9%
Specimen Handling, 9%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Laboratory Tests, 8%
Computer System, 5%

Common medical laboratory technician skills

Medical Laboratory, 10%
Patients, 10%
ASCP, 9%
Clinical Laboratory, 8%
MLT, 6%
Patient Care, 4%

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Pathology Laboratory Technologist
Pathology Laboratory Technologist vs Medical Laboratory Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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