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The differences between forensic scientists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a forensic scientist and a research scientist. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $71,351 average annual salary of a forensic scientist.
The top three skills for a forensic scientist include laboratory equipment, physical evidence and analytical procedures. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Forensic Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $71,351 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $34.30 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 43,335 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Forensic scientists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Forensic Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $71,351 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $112,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lincoln, NE | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Alere | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a forensic scientist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Forensic Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | California State University - Bakersfield | Duke University |
Here are the differences between forensic scientists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Forensic Scientist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 43.1% Female, 56.9% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |