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Senior laboratory specialist vs laboratory manager

The differences between senior laboratory specialists and laboratory managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a senior laboratory specialist, becoming a laboratory manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a laboratory manager has an average salary of $74,314, which is higher than the $55,556 average annual salary of a senior laboratory specialist.

The top three skills for a senior laboratory specialist include technical support, test results and lab equipment. The most important skills for a laboratory manager are lab equipment, patients, and customer service.

Senior laboratory specialist vs laboratory manager overview

Senior Laboratory SpecialistLaboratory Manager
Yearly salary$55,556$74,314
Hourly rate$26.71$35.73
Growth rate19%3%
Number of jobs39,59243,321
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Average age4448
Years of experience126

Senior laboratory specialist vs laboratory manager salary

Senior laboratory specialists and laboratory managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Laboratory SpecialistLaboratory Manager
Average salary$55,556$74,314
Salary rangeBetween $41,000 And $73,000Between $49,000 And $111,000
Highest paying CityPhiladelphia, PASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateMassachusettsHawaii
Best paying companyAstraZenecaMeta
Best paying industryTechnologyPharmaceutical

Differences between senior laboratory specialist and laboratory manager education

There are a few differences between a senior laboratory specialist and a laboratory manager in terms of educational background:

Senior Laboratory SpecialistLaboratory Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 52%Bachelor's Degree, 64%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeStanford UniversityStanford University

Senior laboratory specialist vs laboratory manager demographics

Here are the differences between senior laboratory specialists' and laboratory managers' demographics:

Senior Laboratory SpecialistLaboratory Manager
Average age4448
Gender ratioMale, 64.1% Female, 35.9%Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.0% Asian, 15.0% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 9.0% White, 70.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior laboratory specialist and laboratory manager duties and responsibilities

Senior laboratory specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage supply inventory and maintain cleanliness.
  • Experience as an ISO train auditor.
  • Maintain, calibrate, and troubleshot GC equipment in the polymerization methods.
  • Assist in monitoring and controlling the requirements of ISO 17025 and ISO 9001:2000.
  • Develop and validate HPLC methods to quantify the aerosolized drugs and their degradation products.
  • Execute and analyze tests in various areas including hematology, chemistry, immunology, histology and bacteriology culture analysis.
  • Show more

Laboratory manager example responsibilities.

  • Lead laboratory investigations, OOS, deviations, change controls and CAPA.
  • Manage daily personnel challenges, assist with marketing and maintain appropriate standards and regulations per JCAHO, DNV.
  • Manage staff and oversee FDA guidelines and regulations for pharmaceutical research
  • Initiate and manage successful in-house design and implementation of network base LIMS database.
  • Manage curriculum development, authore and publish lab manuals in physiology and ecology.
  • Manage daily laboratory operations including personnel, client consulting, analyses and adherence to GLP protocols.
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Senior laboratory specialist vs laboratory manager skills

Common senior laboratory specialist skills
  • Technical Support, 8%
  • Test Results, 8%
  • Lab Equipment, 7%
  • Cell Culture, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Molecular Biology, 5%
Common laboratory manager skills
  • Lab Equipment, 12%
  • Patients, 9%
  • Customer Service, 7%
  • Chemistry, 6%
  • Clinical Laboratory, 5%
  • Lab Safety, 5%

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