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The differences between analytical scientists and chemical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an analytical scientist, becoming a chemical technician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an analytical scientist has an average salary of $90,807, which is higher than the $42,584 average annual salary of a chemical technician.
The top three skills for an analytical scientist include HPLC, GMP and analytical chemistry. The most important skills for a chemical technician are lab equipment, safety procedures, and hazardous materials.
| Analytical Scientist | Chemical Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $90,807 | $42,584 |
| Hourly rate | $43.66 | $20.47 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 52,832 | 40,191 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
The duties of an analytical scientist depend on their place or industry of employment. An analytical scientist specializes in conducting tests and experiments using different analytical techniques to identify or develop chemical compositions. Their tasks typically revolve around maintaining extensive documentation of all procedures, reviewing and interpreting results, and summarizing them for reports and other documentation. Moreover, an analytical scientist may coordinate with other scientists on projects, prepare presentations for different audiences, and even train junior scientists.
A chemical technician is responsible for supporting chemists and laboratory technicians in performing laboratory investigations and examining chemical components and structures. Chemical technicians ensure the stability of laboratory tools and equipment, performing proper sterilization and segregation of disposable materials, and maintaining the adequacy of inventory. They also record the research progress, including scientific methods, and write observation reports for reference. A chemical technician manages the cleanliness and orderliness of the facility to avoid potential hazards and complications during chemical operations.
Analytical scientists and chemical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Analytical Scientist | Chemical Technician | |
| Average salary | $90,807 | $42,584 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $125,000 | Between $30,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Baltimore, MD |
| Highest paying state | California | Maryland |
| Best paying company | Calpine | |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between an analytical scientist and a chemical technician in terms of educational background:
| Analytical Scientist | Chemical Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Inter American University of Puerto Rico Bayamon |
Here are the differences between analytical scientists' and chemical technicians' demographics:
| Analytical Scientist | Chemical Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.2% Female, 43.8% | Male, 80.5% Female, 19.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.7% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 63.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |