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The differences between phd researchers and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an phd researcher and a research scientist. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $51,634 average annual salary of an phd researcher.
The top three skills for an phd researcher include python, chemistry and research projects. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| PHD Researcher | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,634 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $24.82 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 19,736 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome. You will collect, organize, and analyze data and opinions to solve issues and predict trends. Other tasks you will perform include doing fieldwork to collect samples, writing reports, research papers, and reviews, and organizing materials testing. In addition, you need to liaise with research and production staff, develop ways to resolve problems, and supervise junior research staff.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Phd researchers and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| PHD Researcher | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $51,634 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $76,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Novato, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Lyft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between an phd researcher and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| PHD Researcher | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 40% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between phd researchers' and research scientists' demographics:
| PHD Researcher | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.5% White, 47.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |