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The differences between contract 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 contract scientist and a research scientist. Additionally, a contract scientist has an average salary of $98,484, which is higher than the $89,998 average annual salary of a research scientist.
The top three skills for a contract scientist include technical reports, HPLC and chemistry. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Contract Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $98,484 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $47.35 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 51,771 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Contract scientists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $98,484 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $68,000 And $141,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | - | California |
| Best paying company | - | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a contract scientist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Contract Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between contract scientists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Contract Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.1% Female, 44.9% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% 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% |