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The differences between product development scientists and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a product development scientist, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a product development scientist has an average salary of $84,817, which is higher than the $38,859 average annual salary of a certified medical technician.
The top three skills for a product development scientist include chemistry, project management and data analysis. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.
| Product Development Scientist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $84,817 | $38,859 |
| Hourly rate | $40.78 | $18.68 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 147,027 | 164,424 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A product development scientist is responsible for conducting in-depth scientific research and method analysis to develop medical technologies, medications, and foods, depending on the industry. Product development scientists may also perform enhancements on existing products by studying its components and improve its features. They evaluate the manufacturing processes of a product, providing recommendations on additional resources to generate revenues and profits. A product development scientist often works in a laboratory, requiring them to follow strict safety protocols and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of the area to prevent contamination and result inconsistencies.
Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.
Product development scientists and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Product Development Scientist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average salary | $84,817 | $38,859 |
| Salary range | Between $62,000 And $115,000 | Between $28,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Denton, TX |
| Highest paying state | California | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Favorite Healthcare Staffing |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a product development scientist and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:
| Product Development Scientist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 66% | Bachelor's Degree, 28% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Nursing |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between product development scientists' and certified medical technicians' demographics:
| Product Development Scientist | Certified Medical Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.3% Female, 40.7% | Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |