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The differences between cell biologists and computational biologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-8 years to become both a cell biologist and a computational biologist. Additionally, a cell biologist has an average salary of $68,698, which is higher than the $61,449 average annual salary of a computational biologist.
The top three skills for a cell biologist include molecular biology, data analysis and cell-based assays. The most important skills for a computational biologist are python, machine learning, and next-generation sequencing.
| Cell Biologist | Computational Biologist | |
| Yearly salary | $68,698 | $61,449 |
| Hourly rate | $33.03 | $29.54 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 24,079 | 12,839 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 8 |
A cell biologist specializes in studying cell structures and their interactions with biological organisms. They primarily work at laboratories where their responsibilities usually include conducting extensive research, gathering and analyzing samples through various laboratory procedures, performing experiments, and maintaining detailed records of all operations. Through their research findings, a cell biologist may produce publications or utilize the results for developing pharmaceutical products or treatments. When it comes to employment, a cell biologist may work for government agencies, private or public laboratories, and even teach at colleges or universities.
A computational biologist is an expert in computational management, high-performance computing, data algorithm, and biological and statistical processes. You study to understand biological systems using computational theoretical principles. Your duties typically include doing research and computer programming, developing a theory, mathematical models, and computer simulations to organize and analyze your findings, and building databases. To become a successful computational biologist, you must have extensive knowledge of bioinformatics, biochemistry, and computational biology, excellent communication skills, and problem-solving skills.
Cell biologists and computational biologists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cell Biologist | Computational Biologist | |
| Average salary | $68,698 | $61,449 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $102,000 | Between $38,000 And $99,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a cell biologist and a computational biologist in terms of educational background:
| Cell Biologist | Computational Biologist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between cell biologists' and computational biologists' demographics:
| Cell Biologist | Computational Biologist | |
| Average age | 40 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.2% Female, 58.8% | Male, 80.2% Female, 19.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 17.7% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 2.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 17.0% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |