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The differences between field 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 a field 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 $76,601 average annual salary of a field scientist.
The top three skills for a field scientist include field testing, data collection and geotechnical. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Field Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $76,601 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $36.83 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 88,454 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
The duties of a field scientist depend on one's line of work or industry of employment. In general, their responsibilities typically include conducting studies and scientific research, visiting various sites to observe and gather samples, performing laboratory analyses and experiments, maintaining records of all operations, and coming up with conclusions from the research findings. When it comes to employment opportunities, a field scientist may work for learning institutions, government agencies, and private companies, where they usually work together with other scientists and experts.
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.
Field scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Field Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $76,601 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $111,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Syngenta | Etsy |
| Best paying industry | Internet | Technology |
There are a few differences between a field scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Field Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 82% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Environmental Science | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Duke University |
Here are the differences between field scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Field Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 39 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.5% Female, 27.5% | 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% |