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The differences between chemist assistants and research chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a research chemist has an average salary of $75,843, which is higher than the $51,817 average annual salary of a chemist assistant.
The top three skills for a chemist assistant include laboratory instruments, product quality and chemical analysis. The most important skills for a research chemist are laboratory equipment, method development, and R.
| Chemist Assistant | Research Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,817 | $75,843 |
| Hourly rate | $24.91 | $36.46 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 6,144 | 53,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Chemist assistants maintain laboratory readiness in supporting the production and contingency operations for instrument maintenance and personnel training. The assistants manage daily laboratory operations such as conducting and recording instrument maintenance. They develop minimum product property tolerances and production standards. It is their job to monitor the quality of products to ensure standard compliance. Also, they support capacity expansion projects, product quality projects, and process improvement initiatives.
A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies. Their research findings can be used to create new medicines, enhance existing products, and lead to innovations. When it comes to employment, a research chemist may work for pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and learning institutions.
Chemist assistants and research chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemist Assistant | Research Chemist | |
| Average salary | $51,817 | $75,843 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $87,000 | Between $53,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | McLean, VA |
| Highest paying state | - | Virginia |
| Best paying company | - | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | - | Energy |
There are a few differences between a chemist assistant and a research chemist in terms of educational background:
| Chemist Assistant | Research Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between chemist assistants' and research chemists' demographics:
| Chemist Assistant | Research Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.3% Female, 43.7% | Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 22.2% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |