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The differences between optical scientists and scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an optical scientist, becoming a scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, 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 scientist are chemistry, data analysis, and patients.
| Optical Scientist | Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $83,856 | $97,344 |
| Hourly rate | $40.32 | $46.80 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 43,029 | 62,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Optical scientists and scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Optical Scientist | Scientist | |
| Average salary | $83,856 | $97,344 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $132,000 | Between $67,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between an optical scientist and a scientist in terms of educational background:
| Optical Scientist | Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Physics | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between optical scientists' and scientists' demographics:
| Optical Scientist | Scientist | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 90.7% Female, 9.3% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| 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, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 24% | 8% |