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The differences between cosmetic chemists and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chemist has an average salary of $64,961, which is higher than the $59,876 average annual salary of a cosmetic chemist.
The top three skills for a cosmetic chemist include R, GMP and QC. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.
| Cosmetic Chemist | Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,876 | $64,961 |
| Hourly rate | $28.79 | $31.23 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 7,556 | 20,221 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cosmetic chemist specializes in formulating and developing skincare and cosmetic products such as make-up, lotion, soap, and shampoo. They typically work at laboratories where they work on different chemicals and substances, conduct studies and experiments, perform extensive research and analysis, develop and implement tests and assessments, and maintain records of all procedures. Moreover, a cosmetic chemist must maintain an active communication line with staff while adhering to the safety protocols and standards of a laboratory, especially when handling different chemicals.
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Cosmetic chemists and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cosmetic Chemist | Chemist | |
| Average salary | $59,876 | $64,961 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $83,000 | Between $46,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Skillman, NJ | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Delaware |
| Best paying company | BASF | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a cosmetic chemist and a chemist in terms of educational background:
| Cosmetic Chemist | Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between cosmetic chemists' and chemists' demographics:
| Cosmetic Chemist | Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.9% Female, 48.1% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.4% White, 59.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |