Post job

Rehabilitation technician vs clinical technician

The differences between rehabilitation technicians and clinical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a clinical technician has an average salary of $35,760, which is higher than the $29,533 average annual salary of a rehabilitation technician.

The top three skills for a rehabilitation technician include patients, rehabilitation and physical therapy. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.

Rehabilitation technician vs clinical technician overview

Rehabilitation TechnicianClinical Technician
Yearly salary$29,533$35,760
Hourly rate$14.20$17.19
Growth rate24%9%
Number of jobs31,196161,812
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Average age4344
Years of experience-12

What does a rehabilitation technician do?

A rehabilitation technician is responsible for assisting therapists and other medical personnel on supporting the patients in their daily activities and physical therapy sessions. Rehabilitation technicians provide high-quality care services for the patients by administering medications, accompanying them on medical appointments, and ensuring the cleanliness and orderliness of all equipment and facilities to prevent hazards within the premises. They may also perform administrative and clerical duties such as updating patients' information on the database, writing reports, processing payments for medical procedures, and maintaining medical charts for reference.

What does a clinical technician do?

A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.

Rehabilitation technician vs clinical technician salary

Rehabilitation technicians and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Rehabilitation TechnicianClinical Technician
Average salary$29,533$35,760
Salary rangeBetween $23,000 And $37,000Between $26,000 And $48,000
Highest paying CitySeattle, WASeattle, WA
Highest paying stateWashingtonAlaska
Best paying companyLawrence General HospitalBrigham and Women's Hospital
Best paying industryHealth CareGovernment

Differences between rehabilitation technician and clinical technician education

There are a few differences between a rehabilitation technician and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:

Rehabilitation TechnicianClinical Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 40%
Most common majorKinesiologyNursing
Most common collegeUniversity of Michigan - Ann ArborUniversity of Connecticut

Rehabilitation technician vs clinical technician demographics

Here are the differences between rehabilitation technicians' and clinical technicians' demographics:

Rehabilitation TechnicianClinical Technician
Average age4344
Gender ratioMale, 31.0% Female, 69.0%Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 14.4% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.5% White, 57.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between rehabilitation technician and clinical technician duties and responsibilities

Rehabilitation technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage organization and cleanliness of therapy room and equipment.
  • Record vital signs and assist patients in performing their ADL's as directed by medical or nursing staff.
  • Assist patients with neurological conditions with different mobility training, ADL training, and strengthening exercises.
  • Assist with the modification of therapy plans, assist with manual stretching and traction of patients.
  • Prepare patients for electrical stimulation, mechanical traction, and ultrasounds.
  • Assist in operating a physical therapy facility by helping patients improve their movement, stamina, coordination, and intellectual capacity.
  • Show more

Clinical technician example responsibilities.

  • Prepare QC and QA samples for validity testing.
  • Resolve issues from level 1 EMR support as well as EMR issues transfer from other departments.
  • Recognize life threatening situations and activate the emergency response system while assisting with CPR and code cart.
  • Report and document description of patient care information in EMR in accordance with hospital policy and procedure.
  • Participate in reviews and QC of external central laboratory contracts, sample kits and manuals and ensure accuracy.
  • Assist in advance and basic life support techniques, perform EKG's, blood withdrawal, and computer order entry.
  • Show more

Rehabilitation technician vs clinical technician skills

Common rehabilitation technician skills
  • Patients, 23%
  • Rehabilitation, 18%
  • Physical Therapy, 12%
  • CPR, 9%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Occupational Therapy, 4%
Common clinical technician skills
  • Patients, 27%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Phlebotomy, 7%
  • Direct Patient Care, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • EKG, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs