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The differences between field chemists and laboratory chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a field chemist has an average salary of $66,162, which is higher than the $62,702 average annual salary of a laboratory chemist.
The top three skills for a field chemist include CDL, non-hazardous waste and customer sites. The most important skills for a laboratory chemist are lab equipment, chromatography, and analytical methods.
| Field Chemist | Laboratory Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $66,162 | $62,702 |
| Hourly rate | $31.81 | $30.15 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 51,922 | 41,322 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Field chemists are scientists responsible for researching reactions that occur between different substances and creating procedures for safe handling of those substances by individuals, businesses, or factories. They are involved in gathering research data, implementing regulatory standards for hazardous substances, and assisting with the clean-up process for incidents such as spills. The data gathered is used to help develop new products for use in hazardous waste management, medicine, manufacturing, and other industries.
Laboratory Chemists are licensed scientists who work with chemicals. They are usually found in academic institutions or research facilities. Laboratory Chemists create experiments based on the needs of the institution or company. They mix different chemicals to make the desired results. They would also analyze compounds borne out of the different mixtures and record their observations. They tabulate the results and present these to the body. Laboratory Chemists should have good organization skills. They should be able to document their experiments properly. This would help the company and future researchers.
Field chemists and laboratory chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Chemist | Laboratory Chemist | |
| Average salary | $66,162 | $62,702 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $101,000 | Between $45,000 And $86,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Nutley, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | Virginia |
| Best paying company | - | BASF |
| Best paying industry | - | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a field chemist and a laboratory chemist in terms of educational background:
| Field Chemist | Laboratory Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of California, Berkeley | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between field chemists' and laboratory chemists' demographics:
| Field Chemist | Laboratory Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 82.6% Female, 17.4% | Male, 63.9% Female, 36.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.1% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 18.1% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 18.3% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |