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The differences between postdoctoral research scientists and associate 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 postdoctoral research scientist and an associate scientist. Additionally, an associate scientist has an average salary of $76,461, which is higher than the $53,781 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research scientist.
The top three skills for a postdoctoral research scientist include python, C++ and research projects. The most important skills for an associate scientist are chemistry, patients, and cell culture.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Associate Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,781 | $76,461 |
| Hourly rate | $25.86 | $36.76 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 90,782 | 54,950 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Postdoctoral Research Scientist undertakes and analyzes information about investigations, experiments, and trials from a controlled laboratory. They work in almost every area of science.
An Associate Scientist assists in various experiments and research, working under the direction of a lead scientist. Their specialties may include biological life sciences, geo-science, atmospheric physics, and computing.
Postdoctoral research scientists and associate scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Associate Scientist | |
| Average salary | $53,781 | $76,461 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $53,000 And $109,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Phillips 66 |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a postdoctoral research scientist and an associate scientist in terms of educational background:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Associate Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between postdoctoral research scientists' and associate scientists' demographics:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Associate Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 48.6% Female, 51.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 35.6% White, 45.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |