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The differences between junior research scientists and data 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 junior research scientist and a data scientist. Additionally, a data scientist has an average salary of $106,104, which is higher than the $67,062 average annual salary of a junior research scientist.
The top three skills for a junior research scientist include python, PI and C++. The most important skills for a data scientist are python, data science, and visualization.
| Junior Research Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,062 | $106,104 |
| Hourly rate | $32.24 | $51.01 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 101,873 | 106,973 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A junior research scientist is responsible for evaluating and interpreting scientific results from laboratory investigations and experiments. Junior research scientists assist the senior scientists in gathering information to support research studies and claims. They perform both laboratory and field trials to collect samples for further examinations. A junior research scientist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing comprehensive reports, following accurate scientific methodologies, and submitting the research findings on time to the research supervisor.
A Data Scientist analyzes information from multiple sources in order to gain maximum insight that can give the company a competitive advantage. They work in different domains, including manufacturing, healthcare, education, and finance.
Junior research scientists and data scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Research Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Average salary | $67,062 | $106,104 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $92,000 | Between $75,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Zappos.com | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Education | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a junior research scientist and a data scientist in terms of educational background:
| Junior Research Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Biology | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between junior research scientists' and data scientists' demographics:
| Junior Research Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.3% Female, 51.7% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.2% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.9% Asian, 18.8% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 9% |