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The differences between formulation chemists and quality control chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a formulation chemist has an average salary of $66,678, which is higher than the $58,892 average annual salary of a quality control chemist.
The top three skills for a formulation chemist include scale-up, R and product development. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.
| Formulation Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $66,678 | $58,892 |
| Hourly rate | $32.06 | $28.31 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 3,011 | 90,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A formulation chemist is responsible for generating new concepts for product development that adhere to quality standards and safety regulations. Formulation chemists identify product opportunities by analyzing the current industry trends, developing cost-reduction initiatives, and determining efficient formulations through in-depth research and laboratory experiments. They write formulation reports and product processing, collaborating with the marketing and sales team for brand promotion and awareness. A formulation chemist must have a critical understanding of scientific methods, including chemical mixing, to achieve desired outputs.
A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.
Formulation chemists and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average salary | $66,678 | $58,892 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $94,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Frederick, MD | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Apple | Hallstar |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a formulation chemist and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between formulation chemists' and quality control chemists' demographics:
| Formulation Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.6% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 21.4% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |