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The differences between lead 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 lead scientist and a data scientist. Additionally, a lead scientist has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $106,104 average annual salary of a data scientist.
The top three skills for a lead scientist include C++, java and data analysis. The most important skills for a data scientist are python, data science, and visualization.
| Lead Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $110,028 | $106,104 |
| Hourly rate | $52.90 | $51.01 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 49,455 | 106,973 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
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.
Lead scientists and data scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Average salary | $110,028 | $106,104 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $153,000 | Between $75,000 And $148,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Cruz, CA | Richmond, CA |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a lead scientist and a data scientist in terms of educational background:
| Lead Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Computer Science |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Columbia University in the City of New York |
Here are the differences between lead scientists' and data scientists' demographics:
| Lead Scientist | Data Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| 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, 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% |