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The differences between principal chemists and analytical research chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an analytical research chemist has an average salary of $81,763, which is higher than the $74,065 average annual salary of a principal chemist.
The top three skills for a principal chemist include analytical chemistry, R and product development. The most important skills for an analytical research chemist are liquid chromatography, R, and HPLC.
| Principal Chemist | Analytical Research Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $74,065 | $81,763 |
| Hourly rate | $35.61 | $39.31 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 42,121 | 62,289 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Principal chemists require a bachelor's or master's degree, or even a doctorate, with a post-doctoral fellowship to gain hands-on experience doing research and chemistry, math, science, communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills. They will be expected to conduct quantitative and qualitative experiments on chemical substances for quality control, as well as develop new products or knowledge about said products, and conduct a battery of experiments on organic and inorganic compounds.
An Analytical Research Chemist works on analyzing and interpreting data generated from experiments to aid other research. They organize and produce reports and findings, which scientists will use to create principles, ideas, and strategies in the scientific field. Included in a research chemist's primary responsibilities are the maintenance of the laboratory, organizing documents, and inventory of supplies and equipment.
Principal chemists and analytical research chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Chemist | Analytical Research Chemist | |
| Average salary | $74,065 | $81,763 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $105,000 | Between $54,000 And $123,000 |
| Highest paying City | Richland, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Edwards Lifesciences | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a principal chemist and an analytical research chemist in terms of educational background:
| Principal Chemist | Analytical Research Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between principal chemists' and analytical research chemists' demographics:
| Principal Chemist | Analytical Research Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 72.6% Female, 27.4% | Male, 58.3% Female, 41.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.5% Asian, 29.2% White, 51.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 22.9% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 5% |