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The differences between senior laboratory technicians and technicians 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 technician, becoming a technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior laboratory technician has an average salary of $48,530, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a senior laboratory technician include lab equipment, patients and research projects. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Senior Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $48,530 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $23.33 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 63,876 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
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.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Senior laboratory technicians and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average salary | $48,530 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $67,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Genentech | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a senior laboratory technician and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Senior Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Biology | Business |
| Most common college | New York University | - |
Here are the differences between senior laboratory technicians' and technicians' demographics:
| Senior Laboratory Technician | Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.6% Female, 41.4% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |