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Surgical scrub technician vs x-ray technician

The differences between surgical scrub technicians and x-ray 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 surgical scrub technician, becoming an x-ray technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a surgical scrub technician has an average salary of $52,701, which is higher than the $51,642 average annual salary of an x-ray technician.

The top three skills for a surgical scrub technician include patients, surgical procedures and CPR. The most important skills for an x-ray technician are patients, ARRT, and radiologic technologist.

Surgical scrub technician vs x-ray technician overview

Surgical Scrub TechnicianX-Ray Technician
Yearly salary$52,701$51,642
Hourly rate$25.34$24.83
Growth rate6%6%
Number of jobs40,16860,780
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 40%Associate Degree, 62%
Average age4143
Years of experience122

What does a surgical scrub technician do?

A surgical Scrub Technician can be referred to as a doctor because he/she is a committed technician who does multiple tasks like providing the surgeon with nice instruments for surgery. They provide sterile instruments to the surgeon, prepare the operating table, sterilize the instruments, and make the room neat and clean.

What does an x-ray technician do?

The job of X-ray technicians, or X-ray technologists, is to detect medical issues that may need urgent medical treatment using cutting-edge imaging methods. The pictures they generate aid physicians in diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses with better accuracy. They use a wide range of imaging technologies such as the traditional X-ray machines, computerized axial tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. X-ray technicians may also perform some office work that includes preparing work schedules, managing radiologic departments, and setting up physicians' stations.

Surgical scrub technician vs x-ray technician salary

Surgical scrub technicians and x-ray technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Surgical Scrub TechnicianX-Ray Technician
Average salary$52,701$51,642
Salary rangeBetween $35,000 And $77,000Between $32,000 And $81,000
Highest paying City-Fresno, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-Stability Healthcare
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between surgical scrub technician and x-ray technician education

There are a few differences between a surgical scrub technician and an x-ray technician in terms of educational background:

Surgical Scrub TechnicianX-Ray Technician
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 40%Associate Degree, 62%
Most common majorNursingMedical Technician
Most common collegeUniversity of ConnecticutTexas A&M University

Surgical scrub technician vs x-ray technician demographics

Here are the differences between surgical scrub technicians' and x-ray technicians' demographics:

Surgical Scrub TechnicianX-Ray Technician
Average age4143
Gender ratioMale, 28.3% Female, 71.7%Male, 40.3% Female, 59.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 4.8% White, 63.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage13%10%

Differences between surgical scrub technician and x-ray technician duties and responsibilities

Surgical scrub technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage sterilization of field during surgical procedures, ensuring cleanliness and sanitation meet organization protocol.
  • Clamp, ligation and cutting of tissue per surgeon's directive.
  • Pass instruments, sponges, sutures, and needles to surgeons and their assistants.
  • Communicate patient status to other units including PACU, ICU, and blood bank.
  • Remain flexible to float into the PACU, same day surgery, prep room, and GI as needed.
  • Act as liaison between technical staff, anesthesia residents, MD's, CRNA's, and hospital management.
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X-ray technician example responsibilities.

  • Manage day-to-day operation of PACS equipment including image archiving.
  • Train personnel in triage, first aid, and CPR.
  • Put patients into rooms, pull charts, and learned EMR as the office transition to electronic records.
  • Input patient information in to the EMR, room patients, assist the doctor in all in office procedures.
  • Provide mobile x-rays and EKG's for nursing homes, state hospital, and patients unable to leave their homes.
  • Produce quality images using c-arm during surgical procedures.
  • Show more

Surgical scrub technician vs x-ray technician skills

Common surgical scrub technician skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Surgical Procedures, 14%
  • CPR, 12%
  • HIPAA, 8%
  • Surgical Equipment, 8%
  • Surgical Scrub, 6%
Common x-ray technician skills
  • Patients, 22%
  • ARRT, 9%
  • Radiologic Technologist, 6%
  • CPR, 5%
  • Customer Service, 5%
  • Pacs, 3%

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