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The differences between cancer researchers and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a cancer researcher and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $73,896 average annual salary of a cancer researcher.
The top three skills for a cancer researcher include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Cancer Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $73,896 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $35.53 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 24,199 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A cancer researcher is a medical scientist who devotes their time working at laboratories to study and discover ways to diagnose and treat cancer, saving countless people's lives in the process. Their duties usually include gathering and analyzing samples through basic or complex laboratory processes, studying existing cases from people of all ages, organizing specimens and instruments, coordinating with fellow experts, conducting experiments, and maintaining extensive records. Moreover, as a cancer researcher, it is essential to keep an open communication line with fellow researchers, collaborating efforts for a smooth workflow.
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
Cancer researchers and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cancer Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $73,896 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $117,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a cancer researcher and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Cancer Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between cancer researchers' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Cancer Researcher | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |