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The differences between asbestos microscopists and research 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 a research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, 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 a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,182 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $27.49 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 249 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Asbestos microscopists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $57,182 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $98,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between an asbestos microscopist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Duke University |
Here are the differences between asbestos microscopists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |