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Pharmaceutical laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician

The differences between pharmaceutical laboratory technicians and assistant laboratory 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 pharmaceutical laboratory technician and an assistant laboratory technician. Additionally, a pharmaceutical laboratory technician has an average salary of $41,945, which is higher than the $35,556 average annual salary of an assistant laboratory technician.

The top three skills for a pharmaceutical laboratory technician include R, environmental monitoring and lab equipment. The most important skills for an assistant laboratory technician are patients, ladders, and computer lab.

Pharmaceutical laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician overview

Pharmaceutical Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Yearly salary$41,945$35,556
Hourly rate$20.17$17.09
Growth rate9%1%
Number of jobs52,205116,488
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age4444
Years of experience1212

Pharmaceutical laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician salary

Pharmaceutical laboratory technicians and assistant laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Pharmaceutical Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Average salary$41,945$35,556
Salary rangeBetween $30,000 And $58,000Between $21,000 And $57,000
Highest paying City-Manchester, NH
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Patterson-UTI Energy
Best paying industry--

Differences between pharmaceutical laboratory technician and assistant laboratory technician education

There are a few differences between a pharmaceutical laboratory technician and an assistant laboratory technician in terms of educational background:

Pharmaceutical Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 70%Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeNew York UniversityUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Pharmaceutical laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician demographics

Here are the differences between pharmaceutical laboratory technicians' and assistant laboratory technicians' demographics:

Pharmaceutical Laboratory TechnicianAssistant Laboratory Technician
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 43.1% Female, 56.9%Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 12.2% White, 52.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.4% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between pharmaceutical laboratory technician and assistant laboratory technician duties and responsibilities

Pharmaceutical laboratory technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage patient, and corporate information with compassion and confidentiality.
  • Perform QC testing on tablet coating products and assist in development of new products to meet customer's needs.
  • Develop QC test methods and specifications for new products and coordinate the implementation of new test methods for existing products.
  • Maintain and operate laboratory equipment and commendably troubleshoot and resolve an assortment of laboratory testing analyzers and perform diverse chemical tests.
  • Arrange stat shipping and receiving of blood products to and from outside medical facilities.
  • Perform venipuncture, bleeding times, vaccinations and urinalysis procedures.

Assistant laboratory technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
  • Work with non-gynecological specimens including thin prep, cytospins or formalin and cellient cell blocks.
  • Work in cytology lab performing prep duties of surgical fluids, FNA aspirates and pap smears.
  • Verify test requirements utilizing LIS.
  • Obtain insurance authorization and provide patients resources regarding insurance coverage and financial responsibilities.
  • Collect, identify, categorize, and analyze bodily fluids relate to non-gynecological cytology.
  • Show more

Pharmaceutical laboratory technician vs assistant laboratory technician skills

Common pharmaceutical laboratory technician skills
  • R, 16%
  • Environmental Monitoring, 12%
  • Lab Equipment, 10%
  • Sops, 9%
  • Laboratory Procedures, 8%
  • GMP, 7%
Common assistant laboratory technician skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Ladders, 11%
  • Computer Lab, 8%
  • Vital Signs, 7%
  • EKG, 6%
  • CPR, 5%

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