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The differences between bioinformatics scientists and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bioinformatics scientist has an average salary of $91,530, which is higher than the $64,961 average annual salary of a chemist.
The top three skills for a bioinformatics scientist include python, next-generation sequencing and data analysis. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.
| Bioinformatics Scientist | Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $91,530 | $64,961 |
| Hourly rate | $44.00 | $31.23 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 57,026 | 20,221 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A bioinformatics scientist specializes in studying biology while utilizing their expertise in computer science. Their responsibilities revolve around developing databases and software for biological advances, improving existing applications as needed, coordinating with different scientists and professionals, and maintaining extensive records of all research and transactions. It is essential to review all data, identify issues, troubleshoot, and perform corrective measures as needed. In a company setting, a bioinformatics scientist must create progress reports and presentations, all while adhering to the company's vision, mission, and goals.
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Bioinformatics scientists and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bioinformatics Scientist | Chemist | |
| Average salary | $91,530 | $64,961 |
| Salary range | Between $64,000 And $129,000 | Between $46,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | California | Delaware |
| Best paying company | NVIDIA | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a bioinformatics scientist and a chemist in terms of educational background:
| Bioinformatics Scientist | Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Biostatistics | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between bioinformatics scientists' and chemists' demographics:
| Bioinformatics Scientist | Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.9% Female, 18.1% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 38.6% White, 42.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |