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The differences between clinical research scientists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a clinical research scientist, becoming a research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a clinical research scientist has an average salary of $99,160, which is higher than the $89,998 average annual salary of a research scientist.
The top three skills for a clinical research scientist include clinical research, clinical trials and clinical development. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Clinical Research Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $99,160 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $47.67 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 128,547 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A clinical research scientist is responsible for assisting physicians in conducting laboratory research and examinations to identify diseases and establish treatment plans. They also inspect medical tools and equipment to prevent hazards and operational delays. A clinical research scientist must have excellent communication skills and extensive knowledge of the medical industry to provide the highest quality care services for the patients.
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.
Clinical research scientists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Research Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $99,160 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $154,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a clinical research scientist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Research Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical research scientists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Clinical Research Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.4% Female, 64.6% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 13.5% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 9% | 8% |