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The differences between associate principal scientists and scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an associate principal scientist and a scientist. Additionally, an associate principal scientist has an average salary of $112,297, which is higher than the $97,344 average annual salary of a scientist.
The top three skills for an associate principal scientist include data analysis, chemistry and project management. The most important skills for a scientist are chemistry, data analysis, and patients.
| Associate Principal Scientist | Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $112,297 | $97,344 |
| Hourly rate | $53.99 | $46.80 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 82,048 | 62,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Associate Principal Scientists are responsible for directing the operations of scientific research.They work with cross-functional teams in elaborating technical specifications, and they provide training and mentorship to staff. An associate principal scientist maintains clients' and projects' confidentiality and learns proactively to keep abreast of technological advancements.Other duties may include resolving conflicts within and between departments, monitoring project timeline and performance, supervising laboratory work, and ensuring accurate scientific report documentation.
A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations. They collect the sample for their research, record findings, create research proposals, and release publications. A scientist must know how to utilize laboratory equipment to support the study and drive results efficiently and accurately.
Associate principal scientists and scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Associate Principal Scientist | Scientist | |
| Average salary | $112,297 | $97,344 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $160,000 | Between $67,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Schrödinger | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between an associate principal scientist and a scientist in terms of educational background:
| Associate Principal Scientist | Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between associate principal scientists' and scientists' demographics:
| Associate Principal Scientist | Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.1% Female, 35.9% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 27.1% White, 52.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |