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The differences between chief scientific officers and executive directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a chief scientific officer, becoming an executive director takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, an executive director has an average salary of $127,956, which is higher than the $103,182 average annual salary of a chief scientific officer.
The top three skills for a chief scientific officer include R, chemistry and business development. The most important skills for an executive director are oversight, patients, and customer service.
| Chief Scientific Officer | Executive Director | |
| Yearly salary | $103,182 | $127,956 |
| Hourly rate | $49.61 | $61.52 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -8% |
| Number of jobs | 66,518 | 97,471 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Chief scientific officers are executives who manage a company's scientific, technological, and research operations. They are professionals who ensure that an organization's scientific and research facilities' primary concern aligns with the mission and vision they agreed on. These officers meet with other branches of the company to maintain their connections within the government and industry. To be successful in this position, these officers hone their scientific expertise and leadership skills. They also make formal presentations at medical or scientific meetings on behalf of their company.
Executive directors are top management employees who usually function as a chief executive officer. This role is usually seen in non-profit organizations. Executive directors provide strategic direction to the organization, and they ensure that the organization's goals are actualized. They provide guidance to the employees and ensure that the employees have the organization's advocacies at the center of every project or program. They oversee the policies of the organization and create strategies that will bring the organization's programs forward. Executive directors are also responsible for making crucial decisions for the betterment of the organization.
Chief scientific officers and executive directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Scientific Officer | Executive Director | |
| Average salary | $103,182 | $127,956 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $179,000 | Between $76,000 And $213,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New York |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Genentech |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Finance |
There are a few differences between a chief scientific officer and an executive director in terms of educational background:
| Chief Scientific Officer | Executive Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 48% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between chief scientific officers' and executive directors' demographics:
| Chief Scientific Officer | Executive Director | |
| Average age | 52 | 49 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 75.5% Female, 24.5% | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 7.6% White, 76.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 7.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 71.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |