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The differences between patent analysts and legal externs 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 analyst and a legal extern. Additionally, a patent analyst has an average salary of $77,926, which is higher than the $47,238 average annual salary of a legal extern.
The top three skills for a patent analyst include search reports, technical aspects and medical devices. The most important skills for a legal extern are litigation, legal intern, and legal issues.
| Patent Analyst | Legal Extern | |
| Yearly salary | $77,926 | $47,238 |
| Hourly rate | $37.46 | $22.71 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 328 | 10,986 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Being a patent analyst involves comparing products that are already in the market to new inventions and innovations. You will be responsible for ensuring and upholding government assurance of the originality and ownership of an invention. Patent analysis involves the examination of every aspect of an invention, including the blueprints, the pieces, the assembly, the raw material used, and etc. The role requires the evaluation of uses and specifications of an invention, classification, and then a written report based on the analysis.
Legal externs are law students who took the opportunity to do on-the-job training at a law firm. Instead of monetary compensation, they receive academic credits. Legal externs primarily engage in job shadowing. They are usually assigned mentors in the law firm, and they would shadow their mentors in their daily routines. Legal externs are exposed to the actual work done by lawyers. Legal externs are involved in cases, providing insights while building a solid case for their client, giving advice to clients, and representing clients under the supervision of the actual lawyers in the firm. They are usually not given administrative or clerical tasks since they are expected to do more tasks directly related to being a lawyer.
Patent analysts and legal externs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Patent Analyst | Legal Extern | |
| Average salary | $77,926 | $47,238 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $129,000 | Between $23,000 And $93,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New York |
| Best paying company | Morrison & Foerster | Jones Day |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Professional |
There are a few differences between a patent analyst and a legal extern in terms of educational background:
| Patent Analyst | Legal Extern | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Law |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between patent analysts' and legal externs' demographics:
| Patent Analyst | Legal Extern | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 71.6% Female, 28.4% | Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |