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The differences between chemists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $64,961 average annual salary of a chemist.
The top three skills for a chemist include chemistry, lab equipment and test results. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $64,961 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $31.23 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 20,221 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Chemists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $64,961 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $90,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a chemist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between chemists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |