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The differences between forensic scientists and assistant research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a forensic scientist, becoming an assistant research scientist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a forensic scientist has an average salary of $71,351, which is higher than the $62,780 average annual salary of an assistant research scientist.
The top three skills for a forensic scientist include laboratory equipment, physical evidence and analytical procedures. The most important skills for an assistant research scientist are research projects, data collection, and data analysis.
| Forensic Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,351 | $62,780 |
| Hourly rate | $34.30 | $30.18 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 43,335 | 88,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Forensic scientists work as experts in collecting evidence, analyzing evidence collected at crime scenes, and communicating with law enforcement. They can work as a lab manager and detective. They are responsible for ensuring that tests are performed correctly and ethically without any bias. They obtain evidence at the crime scene, making reports of the findings, examining the evidence in the lab if the evidence collected is relevant or not, and testifying in court. They report to superiors the findings of the analysis.
An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
Forensic scientists and assistant research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forensic Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $71,351 | $62,780 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $112,000 | Between $43,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lincoln, NE | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Alere | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a forensic scientist and an assistant research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Forensic Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between forensic scientists' and assistant research scientists' demographics:
| Forensic Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.0% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.7% Asian, 10.5% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |