Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between lead scientists and quality control 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 $58,892 average annual salary of a quality control chemist.
The top three skills for a lead scientist include C++, java and data analysis. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.
| Lead Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $110,028 | $58,892 |
| Hourly rate | $52.90 | $28.31 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 49,455 | 90,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| 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.
A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.
Lead scientists and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average salary | $110,028 | $58,892 |
| Salary range | Between $78,000 And $153,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Cruz, CA | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | Vermont |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Hallstar |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a lead scientist and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:
| Lead Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between lead scientists' and quality control chemists' demographics:
| Lead Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.9% Female, 29.1% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 21.4% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |