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The differences between formulation chemists and senior scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, 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 senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Formulation Chemist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $66,678 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $32.06 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 3,011 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| 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.
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
Formulation chemists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Formulation Chemist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $66,678 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $94,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Frederick, MD | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Apple | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a formulation chemist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Formulation Chemist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between formulation chemists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Formulation Chemist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.6% Female, 39.4% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| 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, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |