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The differences between pharmaceutical scientists and biomedical scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a pharmaceutical scientist and a biomedical scientist. Additionally, a pharmaceutical scientist has an average salary of $79,535, which is higher than the $72,246 average annual salary of a biomedical scientist.
The top three skills for a pharmaceutical scientist include dosage forms, pharmaceutical sciences and formulation development. The most important skills for a biomedical scientist are biomedical, research program, and extraction.
| Pharmaceutical Scientist | Biomedical Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $79,535 | $72,246 |
| Hourly rate | $38.24 | $34.73 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 45,560 | 53,739 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Pharmaceutical scientists must have master's degrees or doctorates in pharmacology, chemistry, biology, anatomy, or math. Paid around $86K per year, those who choose this career path perform drug discovery research, development, and testing. They also execute experiments for system-based research projects aimed at introducing new drugs to the marketplace.
A biomedical scientist conducts studies to help doctors diagnose and treat various illnesses. They primarily work at laboratories where they gather and analyze samples through different laboratory procedures, perform experiments, utilize special tools and equipment, perform experiments, identify blood groups, and monitor the effect of medication and treatment on the patients. Through their research findings, a biomedical scientist interprets the results and produces written reports, all while maintaining extensive records of every procedure. Moreover, a biomedical scientist keeps a clear communication line with fellow scientists and staff for an efficient and successful workflow.
Pharmaceutical scientists and biomedical scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pharmaceutical Scientist | Biomedical Scientist | |
| Average salary | $79,535 | $72,246 |
| Salary range | Between $55,000 And $115,000 | Between $44,000 And $117,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Sunnyvale, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Rhode Island |
| Best paying company | BASi | Intuitive Surgical |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a pharmaceutical scientist and a biomedical scientist in terms of educational background:
| Pharmaceutical Scientist | Biomedical Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Pharmacy | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between pharmaceutical scientists' and biomedical scientists' demographics:
| Pharmaceutical Scientist | Biomedical Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% | Male, 49.6% Female, 50.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |