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The differences between process control technicians and quality laboratory technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a process control technician and a quality laboratory technician. Additionally, a process control technician has an average salary of $52,452, which is higher than the $38,902 average annual salary of a quality laboratory technician.
The top three skills for a process control technician include PLC, control systems and logic controllers. The most important skills for a quality laboratory technician are lab equipment, quality lab, and test results.
| Process Control Technician | Quality Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $52,452 | $38,902 |
| Hourly rate | $25.22 | $18.70 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 3% |
| Number of jobs | 90,615 | 104,887 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Process control technicians require strong skills in PLC, process control systems, troubleshooting, calibration, and a desire for continuous improvement in addition to other skills. Those who choose this career path will be called to work with automated process control systems and assist in designing, creating, testing, and implementing process control panels.
A Quality Laboratory Technician ensures that lab procedures and equipment meet a certain standard, as well as monitors production. They maintain quality service and a safe and healthy work environment through following organization standards.
Process control technicians and quality laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Process Control Technician | Quality Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $52,452 | $38,902 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $67,000 | Between $31,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | Odessa, TX | Hillsboro, OR |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Idaho |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | OMNOVA Solutions |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a process control technician and a quality laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Process Control Technician | Quality Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 41% | Bachelor's Degree, 58% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Biology |
| Most common college | Purdue University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between process control technicians' and quality laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Process Control Technician | Quality Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.1% Female, 18.9% | Male, 54.1% Female, 45.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 9.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 7.5% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |