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The differences between chemical processors and formulation technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a chemical processor and a formulation technician. Additionally, a formulation technician has an average salary of $48,107, which is higher than the $37,953 average annual salary of a chemical processor.
The top three skills for a chemical processor include hazardous materials, safety procedures and OSHA. The most important skills for a formulation technician are lean manufacturing, FDA, and troubleshoot.
| Chemical Processor | Formulation Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $37,953 | $48,107 |
| Hourly rate | $18.25 | $23.13 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 8,357 | 45,585 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Chemical processors are the workers who prepare a variety of chemicals for manufacturing and production. The processors operate and monitor the equipment that controls the chemical reactions when processing consumer or industrial products. They ensure that the work performed in the operations meets the work quality standards and that all materials and equipment follow the specifications when used. Also, they must have the ability to read and understand blueprints to make sure that every part of their equipment is in excellent condition before use.
Formulation Technicians are responsible for preparing and testing formulations samples to meet the research and development goals. Their duties include preparing samples for different formulations, undertaking pilot production studies, assessing storage stability, conducting physical property measuring, and performing chemical and physical formulation assessments. They facilitate global sampling, maintain an accurate record of study data, and participate in team meetings. Formulation Technicians also ensure that laboratory resources are up to acceptable standards and work is done to follow best practices, safety standards, and documented procedures.
Chemical processors and formulation technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemical Processor | Formulation Technician | |
| Average salary | $37,953 | $48,107 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $50,000 | Between $30,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Rockville, MD |
| Highest paying state | - | Maryland |
| Best paying company | - | Boehringer Ingelheim |
| Best paying industry | - | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a chemical processor and a formulation technician in terms of educational background:
| Chemical Processor | Formulation Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 32% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chemical processors' and formulation technicians' demographics:
| Chemical Processor | Formulation Technician | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 88.4% Female, 11.6% | Male, 65.9% Female, 34.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 8.3% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.3% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 9.4% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |