Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between post-doctoral scientists and postdoctoral associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a post-doctoral scientist and a postdoctoral associate. Additionally, a post-doctoral scientist has an average salary of $58,490, which is higher than the $54,350 average annual salary of a postdoctoral associate.
The top three skills for a post-doctoral scientist include research projects, molecular biology and PI. The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.
| Post-Doctoral Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $58,490 | $54,350 |
| Hourly rate | $28.12 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 57,376 | 18,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A post-doctoral scientist is responsible for conducting more complex research studies to gain knowledge and expertise on scientific methodologies and investigations. Post-doctoral scientists collect materials and components for the examination that would support their scientific claims. They perform field investigations, interview participants, and write accurate reports for reference. A post-doctoral scientist must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, as well as an interest in discoveries and science nature that would play a vital role in the research development.
A postdoctoral associate is responsible for researching to support scientific claims and theories by collecting evidence and information to answer scientific questions. Postdoctoral associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to interact with people and document investigation findings. They also utilize laboratory tools and equipment for scientific researches, conduct field investigations, and interview participants. A postdoctoral associate designs comprehensive research models to discuss results with the panel and the team efficiently and accurately.
Post-doctoral scientists and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Post-Doctoral Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average salary | $58,490 | $54,350 |
| Salary range | Between $43,000 And $78,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Maine |
| Best paying company | Amazon | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Education |
There are a few differences between a post-doctoral scientist and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:
| Post-Doctoral Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 46% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between post-doctoral scientists' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:
| Post-Doctoral Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.9% Female, 37.1% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 33.1% White, 46.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |