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The differences between junior scientists and senior 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 scientist and a senior scientist. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $63,169 average annual salary of a junior scientist.
The top three skills for a junior scientist include lab equipment, literature and data analysis. The most important skills for a senior scientist are patients, data analysis, and molecular biology.
| Junior Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $63,169 | $106,672 |
| Hourly rate | $30.37 | $51.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 56,283 | 49,712 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A junior scientist is in charge of conducting research and scientific studies while under the supervision of a more experienced scientist. Their responsibilities typically revolve around gathering and preparing samples, performing experiments and analysis, coordinating with other experts, recording all progress, reviewing results, and summarizing findings into reports and presentations. In a company setting, a junior scientist must adhere to deadlines and budgets, submitting results to senior scientists and managers. Furthermore, it is essential to uphold the policies and regulations of laboratories to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
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.
Junior scientists and senior scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Junior Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average salary | $63,169 | $106,672 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $90,000 | Between $74,000 And $153,000 |
| Highest paying City | Los Angeles, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The University of Chicago | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation |
| Best paying industry | Education | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a junior scientist and a senior scientist in terms of educational background:
| Junior Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between junior scientists' and senior scientists' demographics:
| Junior Scientist | Senior Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.0% Female, 53.0% | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | 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 | 8% | 8% |