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The differences between contract scientists and laboratory researchers 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 scientist and a laboratory researcher. Additionally, a contract scientist has an average salary of $98,484, which is higher than the $27,760 average annual salary of a laboratory researcher.
The top three skills for a contract scientist include technical reports, HPLC and chemistry. The most important skills for a laboratory researcher are lab procedures, cell culture, and molecular biology.
| Contract Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $98,484 | $27,760 |
| Hourly rate | $47.35 | $13.35 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 51,771 | 57,359 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Contract scientists and laboratory researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average salary | $98,484 | $27,760 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $141,000 | Between $17,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | Maine |
| Best paying company | - | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a contract scientist and a laboratory researcher in terms of educational background:
| Contract Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between contract scientists' and laboratory researchers' demographics:
| Contract Scientist | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.6% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.2% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |