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The differences between chemists and postdoctoral research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chemist has an average salary of $64,961, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.
The top three skills for a chemist include chemistry, lab equipment and test results. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.
| Chemist | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $64,961 | $52,785 |
| Hourly rate | $31.23 | $25.38 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 20,221 | 59,377 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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.
A postdoctoral research associate is responsible for assisting the educational institution's research department, writing research reports, analyzing research methods, and collecting information and related studies to support the research claims. Postdoctoral research associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, reporting research updates to the research head, performing adjustments as needed, and gaining more expertise on the subject by brainstorming and discussing strategic procedures for the study. They may also conduct field investigation or coordinate with other institutions for additional reference, depending on the research's scope and limitation.
Chemists and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemist | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $64,961 | $52,785 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $90,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Memphis, TN |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Professional |
There are a few differences between a chemist and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:
| Chemist | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between chemists' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:
| Chemist | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 38.1% White, 43.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |