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The differences between surgery technicians and clinical 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 surgery technician and a clinical technician. Additionally, a surgery technician has an average salary of $41,646, which is higher than the $35,760 average annual salary of a clinical technician.
The top three skills for a surgery technician include patients, patient care and surgical procedures. The most important skills for a clinical technician are patients, vital signs, and phlebotomy.
| Surgery Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $41,646 | $35,760 |
| Hourly rate | $20.02 | $17.19 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 83,376 | 161,812 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A surgery technician plays a vital role in the success of medical surgeries. They are primarily in charge of performing essential support tasks such as sanitizing and preparing operating rooms, setting-up equipment, sterilizing instruments, and ensuring that supplies are accurate and adequate. They also prepare patients before surgeries, assist surgeons by handing out supplies or tools, and participate in transporting the patients from one room to another. Moreover, they must maintain an active communication line with nurses and surgeons, coordinating every step of the way.
A clinical technician is responsible for operating and maintaining clinical equipment, ensuring the proper sterilization of all laboratory tools and kits to avoid contamination during medical procedures. Clinical technicians assist the patients with their medical inquiries and needs, collecting samples for laboratory, and helping medical professionals on surgeries and other medical operations. They also maintain medical charts, update patients' information on the database, and administer patients' medication. A clinical technician must have excellent knowledge of the medical industry, as well as strictly following internal guidelines and safety procedures during operations.
Surgery technicians and clinical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Surgery Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Average salary | $41,646 | $35,760 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $55,000 | Between $26,000 And $48,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Brigham and Women's Hospital |
| Best paying industry | - | Government |
There are a few differences between a surgery technician and a clinical technician in terms of educational background:
| Surgery Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 34% | Bachelor's Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Nursing |
| Most common college | Emory University | University of Connecticut |
Here are the differences between surgery technicians' and clinical technicians' demographics:
| Surgery Technician | Clinical Technician | |
| Average age | 32 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.3% Female, 73.7% | Male, 26.6% Female, 73.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 6.8% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 2.1% White, 77.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 12.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 11.2% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 8% |