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The differences between asbestos microscopists and associate scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an asbestos microscopist, becoming an associate scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an associate scientist has an average salary of $76,461, which is higher than the $57,182 average annual salary of an asbestos microscopist.
The top three skills for an asbestos microscopist include PLM, TEM and electron microscope. The most important skills for an associate scientist are chemistry, patients, and cell culture.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Associate Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,182 | $76,461 |
| Hourly rate | $27.49 | $36.76 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 249 | 54,950 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Asbestos microscopists prepare and analyze materials for asbestos fibers. These professionals complete material analyses correctly and give updates about the results. They perform data entry precisely and efficiently and maintain and calibrate microscopes to improve their accuracy. Also, Asbestos microscopists attend scheduled training seminars and departmental meetings. Other duties performed by Asbestos microscopists include maintaining professional attendance for scheduled shifts and accurately identifying challenging samples. Moreover, Asbestos microscopists establish and maintain excellent relationships with other staff members.
An Associate Scientist assists in various experiments and research, working under the direction of a lead scientist. Their specialties may include biological life sciences, geo-science, atmospheric physics, and computing.
Asbestos microscopists and associate scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Associate Scientist | |
| Average salary | $57,182 | $76,461 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $98,000 | Between $53,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between an asbestos microscopist and an associate scientist in terms of educational background:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Associate Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between asbestos microscopists' and associate scientists' demographics:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Associate Scientist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 48.6% Female, 51.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 81.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |