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The differences between patent agents and staff attorneys can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a patent agent and a staff attorney. Additionally, a staff attorney has an average salary of $110,028, which is higher than the $65,466 average annual salary of a patent agent.
The top three skills for a patent agent include intellectual property, patent prosecution and law firm. The most important skills for a staff attorney are litigation, legal services, and juris.
| Patent Agent | Staff Attorney | |
| Yearly salary | $65,466 | $110,028 |
| Hourly rate | $31.47 | $52.90 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 25,562 | 75,402 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A patent agent is responsible for monitoring the intellectual property rights of an existing patent invention and ensuring that new applications would not coincide with any registered patent. Patent agents handle the application processes and document verification for individuals or the government. They conduct in-depth research and discuss the process with the investors and inform them of any restrictions on issuance. A patent agent must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in performing duties and resolving issues timely and efficiently.
Staff Attorneys are legal employees who work for a variety of organizations, often as full-time employees. They use their legal expertise to help deal with day-to-day legal issues with which their organization needs regular assistance.
Patent agents and staff attorneys have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Agent | Staff Attorney | |
| Average salary | $65,466 | $110,028 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $124,000 | Between $69,000 And $173,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | California |
| Best paying company | Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent agent and a staff attorney in terms of educational background:
| Patent Agent | Staff Attorney | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 56% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent agents' and staff attorneys' demographics:
| Patent Agent | Staff Attorney | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 69.5% Female, 30.5% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 75.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 5.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 75.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |