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Scientific aide vs research technician

The differences between scientific aides and research 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 scientific aide and a research technician. Additionally, a research technician has an average salary of $43,034, which is higher than the $33,594 average annual salary of a scientific aide.

The top three skills for a scientific aide include data entry, water quality data and GPS. The most important skills for a research technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.

Scientific aide vs research technician overview

Scientific AideResearch Technician
Yearly salary$33,594$43,034
Hourly rate$16.15$20.69
Growth rate9%9%
Number of jobs40,84464,786
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Average age4040
Years of experience44

Scientific aide vs research technician salary

Scientific aides and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Scientific AideResearch Technician
Average salary$33,594$43,034
Salary rangeBetween $26,000 And $42,000Between $31,000 And $59,000
Highest paying City-Pasadena, CA
Highest paying state-Connecticut
Best paying company-GCP Applied Technologies
Best paying industry-Manufacturing

Differences between scientific aide and research technician education

There are a few differences between a scientific aide and a research technician in terms of educational background:

Scientific AideResearch Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 77%Bachelor's Degree, 74%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeDuke UniversityCornell University

Scientific aide vs research technician demographics

Here are the differences between scientific aides' and research technicians' demographics:

Scientific AideResearch Technician
Average age4040
Gender ratioMale, 50.6% Female, 49.4%Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 8.8% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 15.0% Asian, 13.8% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.6%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%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between scientific aide and research technician duties and responsibilities

Scientific aide example responsibilities.

  • Identify owl species by sight and sound prompt using hoot flute and reed caller.
  • Utilize GPS and GIS for recording various field activities (e.g.
  • Haul seine the Christina river to monitor shad and herring movement/reproduction.
  • Navigate to and through remote locations using paper maps and GPS units.
  • Conduct deer surveys in various counties in California, using fecal DNA analysis.
  • Extract DNA and RNA from plant and insect samples for bacterial or viral detection.
  • Show more

Research technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage a DNA database and work with researchers to retrieve or send out samples and results.
  • Lead experiments to assess survivor behavior differences in zebrafish contaminate with dietary mercury.
  • Prepare reagents for use in processing samples, DNA and RNA extractions, and QC.
  • Investigate and validate various acute phase protein assays as OA biomarkers in rodent animal models.
  • Perform DNA extraction and analysis for the purpose of identifying bacterial strand for waste stream characterization.
  • Extend course knowledge of CRISPR to experiment.
  • Show more

Scientific aide vs research technician skills

Common scientific aide skills
  • Data Entry, 11%
  • Water Quality Data, 11%
  • GPS, 8%
  • Biological Data, 5%
  • Data Collection, 5%
  • GIS, 5%
Common research technician skills
  • Patients, 9%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • Cell Culture, 5%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 5%
  • Research Projects, 4%
  • Lab Equipment, 3%

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