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Physicist vs nuclear scientist

The differences between physicists and nuclear scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a physicist and a nuclear scientist. Additionally, a nuclear scientist has an average salary of $112,127, which is higher than the $110,869 average annual salary of a physicist.

The top three skills for a physicist include patients, radiology and oncology. The most important skills for a nuclear scientist are data acquisition, R, and nuclear power.

Physicist vs nuclear scientist overview

PhysicistNuclear Scientist
Yearly salary$110,869$112,127
Hourly rate$53.30$53.91
Growth rate8%8%
Number of jobs80344,724
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Average age4848
Years of experience66

Physicist vs nuclear scientist salary

Physicists and nuclear scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

PhysicistNuclear Scientist
Average salary$110,869$112,127
Salary rangeBetween $68,000 And $180,000Between $73,000 And $170,000
Highest paying CityRochester, NY-
Highest paying stateConnecticut-
Best paying companySanford Health-
Best paying industry--

Differences between physicist and nuclear scientist education

There are a few differences between a physicist and a nuclear scientist in terms of educational background:

PhysicistNuclear Scientist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 53%Bachelor's Degree, 75%
Most common majorPhysicsNuclear Engineering
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityUniversity of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Physicist vs nuclear scientist demographics

Here are the differences between physicists' and nuclear scientists' demographics:

PhysicistNuclear Scientist
Average age4848
Gender ratioMale, 83.9% Female, 16.1%Male, 64.3% Female, 35.7%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 2.0% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.4% Asian, 13.2% White, 73.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%Black or African American, 0.8% Unknown, 3.3% Hispanic or Latino, 6.7% Asian, 7.9% White, 80.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage24%24%

Differences between physicist and nuclear scientist duties and responsibilities

Physicist example responsibilities.

  • Analyze large data sets using Matlab and compare the simulation results with the empirical data.
  • Plan HDR, prostate seed, and IMRT treatments.
  • Assist in commissioning of a Varian TrueBeam LINAC.
  • Work with Tomotherapy HiArt, Varian 21EX and 21IX, and TrueBeam linear accelerators.
  • Ensure safety of workers and the public by monitoring OSHA, ANSI, EPA, and other require regulations.
  • Calibrate radiation machine used to treat cancer patients with radiation therapy.
  • Show more

Nuclear scientist example responsibilities.

  • Manage pediatric dose development project, technology transfer project and alternate API supplier qualification project on budget and on schedule
  • Conduct research and analyze data to identify potential biomarkers and provide input for selection of candidates for non-clinical studies development.
  • Facilitate customer acceptance of demand forecast by developing visualization processes, tutoring clients in methodology, and providing detail walk-through examples.

Physicist vs nuclear scientist skills

Common physicist skills
  • Patients, 14%
  • Radiology, 9%
  • Oncology, 9%
  • Radiation Safety, 6%
  • Radiation Therapy, 6%
  • PET, 4%
Common nuclear scientist skills
  • Data Acquisition, 65%
  • R, 24%
  • Nuclear Power, 11%

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