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The differences between lead scientists and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lead scientist has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $64,961 average annual salary of a chemist.
The top three skills for a lead scientist include C++, java and data analysis. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.
| Lead Scientist | Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $110,028 | $64,961 |
| Hourly rate | $52.90 | $31.23 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 49,455 | 20,221 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A lead scientist is primarily in charge of leading the efforts in conducting scientific studies within a particular program or project. Their responsibilities revolve around setting goals and objectives, delegating tasks, establishing guidelines, and overseeing the progress and performance of other scientists and workers in a laboratory. They may also liaise with clients and external parties, including the media. Furthermore, as a lead scientist, it is essential to encourage the team to reach goals, all while implementing the laboratory's safety policies and regulations to maintain a safe and productive work environment.
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Lead scientists and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Scientist | Chemist | |
| Average salary | $110,028 | $64,961 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $153,000 | Between $46,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Cruz, CA | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | Delaware |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead scientist and a chemist in terms of educational background:
| Lead Scientist | Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between lead scientists' and chemists' demographics:
| Lead Scientist | Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |