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The differences between optical scientists and nuclear scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both an optical scientist and a nuclear scientist. Additionally, a nuclear scientist has an average salary of $112,127, which is higher than the $83,856 average annual salary of an optical scientist.
The top three skills for an optical scientist include system design, zemax and optical design. The most important skills for a nuclear scientist are data acquisition, R, and nuclear power.
| Optical Scientist | Nuclear Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $83,856 | $112,127 |
| Hourly rate | $40.32 | $53.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 43,029 | 44,724 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Optical scientists and nuclear scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Scientist | Nuclear Scientist | |
| Average salary | $83,856 | $112,127 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $132,000 | Between $73,000 And $170,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | - |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | - |
| Best paying company | Meta | - |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an optical scientist and a nuclear scientist in terms of educational background:
| Optical Scientist | Nuclear Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 75% |
| Most common major | Physics | Nuclear Engineering |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between optical scientists' and nuclear scientists' demographics:
| Optical Scientist | Nuclear Scientist | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% | Male, 64.3% Female, 35.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 1.9% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 12.8% White, 73.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 0.8% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 7.9% White, 80.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 24% | 24% |