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The differences between formulation chemists and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $66,678 average annual salary of a formulation chemist.
The top three skills for a formulation chemist include scale-up, R and product development. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Formulation Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $66,678 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $32.06 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 3,011 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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.
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.
Formulation chemists and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $66,678 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $94,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Frederick, MD | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a formulation chemist and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between formulation chemists' and research scientists' demographics:
| Formulation Chemist | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 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 | 5% | 8% |