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The differences between clinical scientists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a clinical scientist and a research scientist. Additionally, a clinical scientist has an average salary of $122,388, which is higher than the $89,998 average annual salary of a research scientist.
The top three skills for a clinical scientist include patients, informed consent and clinical operations. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Clinical Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $122,388 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $58.84 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 96,923 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A clinical scientist's duties depend on their line of work or place of employment. Typically, their responsibilities revolve around conducting experiments and research, gathering and preparing samples such as blood and tissues, analyzing and examining specimens through different processes, reviewing data and results, and coordinating with other scientists to develop medicines or treatments. They may also train new scientists, oversee assistants' performance, and maintain order in a laboratory. Furthermore, a clinical scientist may work in hospitals, clinics, private laboratories, learning institutions, or research facilities.
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 scientists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Clinical Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $122,388 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $94,000 And $157,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Indianapolis, IN | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Reata Pharmaceuticals | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | - |
There are a few differences between a clinical scientist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Clinical Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between clinical scientists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Clinical Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.0% Female, 63.0% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 8% | 8% |