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The differences between research technicians and senior laboratory 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 research technician, becoming a senior laboratory technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a senior laboratory technician has an average salary of $48,530, which is higher than the $43,034 average annual salary of a research technician.
The top three skills for a research technician include patients, data collection and cell culture. The most important skills for a senior laboratory technician are lab equipment, patients, and research projects.
| Research Technician | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $43,034 | $48,530 |
| Hourly rate | $20.69 | $23.33 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 64,786 | 63,876 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 12 |
A research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
A Senior Laboratory Technician is responsible for supervising and coordinating scientific investigations and experiments. They supervise staff, provide technical support, and construct, maintain, and operate standard laboratory equipment.
Research technicians and senior laboratory technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Technician | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Average salary | $43,034 | $48,530 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $59,000 | Between $34,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pasadena, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | GCP Applied Technologies | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a research technician and a senior laboratory technician in terms of educational background:
| Research Technician | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | New York University |
Here are the differences between research technicians' and senior laboratory technicians' demographics:
| Research Technician | Senior Laboratory Technician | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 12.0% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |