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The differences between tissue technicians and medical technologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a tissue technician, becoming a medical technologist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical technologist has an average salary of $53,249, which is higher than the $37,948 average annual salary of a tissue technician.
The top three skills for a tissue technician include sterile technique, american association and tissue recovery. The most important skills for a medical technologist are patients, clinical laboratory, and ASCP.
| Tissue Technician | Medical Technologist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,948 | $53,249 |
| Hourly rate | $18.24 | $25.60 |
| Growth rate | - | - |
| Number of jobs | 39,135 | 116,495 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 2 |
A tissue technician retrieves tissues from donors and deceased individuals whose organs are signed up for donations. Tissue technicians work with surgeons on their transplant requests for organ donation. The tissue technician's job is to visit hospitals, funeral parlors, and such to harvest tissue, store it properly, and transport it safely to its destination. A tissue technician is a vital person for a surgeon and patients scheduled for operation or transplant.
A medical technologist's role is to conduct laboratory tests with accuracy and speed. It is their responsibility to gather, prepare, and analyze samples such as blood, tissues, and bodily fluid. The produced results will be crucial to a patient's diagnosis and further treatments. It is also essential for medical technologists to keep a precise record of data and coordinate with fellow team members and physicians to ensure the fast and efficient delivery of results. Furthermore, a medical technologist can choose to work in different establishments such as a hospital, laboratory, or private clinic.
Tissue technicians and medical technologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Tissue Technician | Medical Technologist | |
| Average salary | $37,948 | $53,249 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $41,000 And $68,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Children's Hospital Colorado |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a tissue technician and a medical technologist in terms of educational background:
| Tissue Technician | Medical Technologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Medical Technician |
| Most common college | New York University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between tissue technicians' and medical technologists' demographics:
| Tissue Technician | Medical Technologist | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.8% Female, 55.2% | Male, 31.5% Female, 68.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.3% Asian, 12.1% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |