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The differences between postdoctoral research scientists and postdoctoral scholars 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 a postdoctoral scholar. Additionally, a postdoctoral scholar has an average salary of $57,587, 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 a postdoctoral scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $53,781 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $25.86 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 90,782 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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.
A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
Postdoctoral research scientists and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $53,781 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a postdoctoral research scientist and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between postdoctoral research scientists' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| 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, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |