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Senior laboratory technician vs phlebotomy technician

The differences between senior laboratory technicians and phlebotomy technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a senior laboratory technician and a phlebotomy technician. Additionally, a senior laboratory technician has an average salary of $48,530, which is higher than the $34,725 average annual salary of a phlebotomy technician.

The top three skills for a senior laboratory technician include lab equipment, patients and research projects. The most important skills for a phlebotomy technician are patients, infection control, and blood specimens.

Senior laboratory technician vs phlebotomy technician overview

Senior Laboratory TechnicianPhlebotomy Technician
Yearly salary$48,530$34,725
Hourly rate$23.33$16.69
Growth rate9%10%
Number of jobs63,876107,110
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Associate Degree, 18%
Average age4444
Years of experience1212

What does a senior laboratory technician do?

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.

What does a phlebotomy technician do?

A phlebotomy technician is responsible for conducting the medical procedure of drawing blood samples using extraction tools and other equipment. Phlebotomy technicians label the samples for laboratory examinations, donation testing, and other related purposes. They also inspect and maintain the cleanliness of medical equipment, including sterilization of needles and other tools, to avoid contamination that would affect the accuracy of the results. A phlebotomy technician records fluid tests and procedures for reference and patient examination history.

Senior laboratory technician vs phlebotomy technician salary

Senior laboratory technicians and phlebotomy technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Senior Laboratory TechnicianPhlebotomy Technician
Average salary$48,530$34,725
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $67,000Between $26,000 And $45,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CA-
Highest paying stateCalifornia-
Best paying companyGenentech-
Best paying industryManufacturing-

Differences between senior laboratory technician and phlebotomy technician education

There are a few differences between a senior laboratory technician and a phlebotomy technician in terms of educational background:

Senior Laboratory TechnicianPhlebotomy Technician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Associate Degree, 18%
Most common majorBiologyMedical Assisting Services
Most common collegeNew York UniversityUniversity of Connecticut

Senior laboratory technician vs phlebotomy technician demographics

Here are the differences between senior laboratory technicians' and phlebotomy technicians' demographics:

Senior Laboratory TechnicianPhlebotomy Technician
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 58.6% Female, 41.4%Male, 16.3% Female, 83.7%
Race ratioBlack 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%Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between senior laboratory technician and phlebotomy technician duties and responsibilities

Senior laboratory technician example responsibilities.

  • Lead aerobic, anaerobic and UV light testing, chemical residue testing and centrifuge to separate chemicals from water.
  • Operate a binary distillation column using LabView to separate a mixture of methanol and water.
  • Provide and sign certificate of analyses for wet chemistry and microbiology.
  • Perform CFU-blast, CFU-C, CFU-D, CFU-S assays.
  • Create raw material library on FTIR.
  • Perform manual titration, including testing bacteria and other water tests.
  • Show more

Phlebotomy technician example responsibilities.

  • Communicate and collaborate with care team members to implement a plan of care for oncology and surgical patients.
  • Comply with CLIA regulations for CLIA Waivedtesting.
  • Transport patients/clients using wheelchair or stretchers and assist patients with walking and exercise.
  • Operate electrocardiogram (EKG), and other equipment to administer routine diagnostic tests.
  • Assist patients with ADL's, implementation of therapy according to plan of treatment.
  • Assist patients with tending to personal care and activities of daily living (ADL).
  • Show more

Senior laboratory technician vs phlebotomy technician skills

Common senior laboratory technician skills
  • Lab Equipment, 9%
  • Patients, 8%
  • Research Projects, 5%
  • Cell Culture, 4%
  • Safety Procedures, 4%
  • Molecular Biology, 4%
Common phlebotomy technician skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Infection Control, 9%
  • Blood Specimens, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Cleanliness, 6%
  • Specimen Collection, 6%

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