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The differences between environmental scientists and staff scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an environmental scientist, becoming a staff scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $60,208 average annual salary of an environmental scientist.
The top three skills for an environmental scientist include environmental compliance, data collection and GIS. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Environmental Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $60,208 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $28.95 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 56,425 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Environmental scientists are responsible for analyzing environmental issues and creating their solutions. They protect the environment together with human health by using their understanding of natural science. It is their job to advise policy-makers, work with industry professionals to reduce waste, and clean up polluted areas. Also, they assess environmental risks and research to guide businesses, government administrators, as well as the general public on probable environmental threats and health risks. Additionally, they ensure that these entities follow the environmental regulations and policies to help minimize their environmental impact on the ecosystem.
The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.
Environmental scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Environmental Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $60,208 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $84,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Chevron | Etsy |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an environmental scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Environmental Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 81% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Duke University |
Here are the differences between environmental scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Environmental Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 81.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |