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The differences between contract research scientists and postdoctoral associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a contract research scientist and a postdoctoral associate. Additionally, a contract research scientist has an average salary of $90,721, which is higher than the $54,350 average annual salary of a postdoctoral associate.
The top three skills for a contract research scientist include analytical techniques, R and HPLC. The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.
| Contract Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $90,721 | $54,350 |
| Hourly rate | $43.62 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 93,124 | 18,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Contract research scientists and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average salary | $90,721 | $54,350 |
| Salary range | Between $61,000 And $132,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | Maine |
| Best paying company | - | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a contract research scientist and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:
| Contract Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between contract research scientists' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:
| Contract Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |