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The differences between chief science officers and chief technology officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a chief science officer, becoming a chief technology officer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a chief technology officer has an average salary of $172,989, which is higher than the $126,094 average annual salary of a chief science officer.
The top three skills for a chief science officer include R, business strategy and oversight. The most important skills for a chief technology officer are infrastructure, cloud, and architecture.
| Chief Science Officer | Chief Technology Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,094 | $172,989 |
| Hourly rate | $60.62 | $83.17 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 69,119 | 124,289 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 47 | 52 |
| Years of experience | 8 | - |
Chief Science Officers are responsible for leading the scientific operations of an organization. Their duties include developing scientific strategies, directing clinical trial designs, implementing research processes, and communicating the scientific vision to investors and senior management. Besides that, they are involved in managing the scientific budget, identifying research opportunities, and fostering scientific partnerships with key stakeholders. Chief Science Officers are also involved in creating research programs, track research milestones, and source for funding channels. They produce research and development reports and provide mentorship to the research team.
The job of chief technology officers (CTOs) is to oversee the technological needs and research and development of an organization. The CTOs, who are like chief information officers, make decisions for a company's technology infrastructure that aligns with the organization's business goals. They must ensure that they are updated on new and existing technologies for them to guide the company's future endeavors. Other responsibilities include fixing issues related to information technology, developing and managing the company's technological resources, and participating in management decisions on corporate governance.
Chief science officers and chief technology officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Science Officer | Chief Technology Officer | |
| Average salary | $126,094 | $172,989 |
| Salary range | Between $83,000 And $190,000 | Between $105,000 And $284,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Community Health Systems | InPhonex |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a chief science officer and a chief technology officer in terms of educational background:
| Chief Science Officer | Chief Technology Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Biology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Carnegie Mellon University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between chief science officers' and chief technology officers' demographics:
| Chief Science Officer | Chief Technology Officer | |
| Average age | 47 | 52 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 73.7% Female, 26.3% | Male, 91.6% Female, 8.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.9% Asian, 12.8% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 3.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 7.7% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 12% |