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The differences between principal scientists and directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal scientist, becoming a director takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a principal scientist has an average salary of $119,982, which is higher than the $113,489 average annual salary of a director.
The top three skills for a principal scientist include oncology, data analysis and drug discovery. The most important skills for a director are healthcare, customer service, and oversight.
| Principal Scientist | Director | |
| Yearly salary | $119,982 | $113,489 |
| Hourly rate | $57.68 | $54.56 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 80,899 | 230,711 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Principal Scientist is focused on leading scientific teams and conducting research. They ensure that their teams have the resources to properly perform research tasks.
Directors work in show business, whether in a film, a television show, or a theatre production. They are responsible for bringing the material to life. They work with the writers to get a clear vision of how the production should look. They lead the production team in planning for the production, identifying filming or rehearsing schedules, casting for roles, and other aspects that need to be decided upon. Directors provide direction to the actors to ensure that the actors understand their role and will be able to effectively convey emotions to the audience. They also manage all other crew members and communicate their expectations clearly so that everyone on the set is working towards one vision.
Principal scientists and directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Scientist | Director | |
| Average salary | $119,982 | $113,489 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $169,000 | Between $66,000 And $192,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | California | New York |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Mayo Clinic |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a principal scientist and a director in terms of educational background:
| Principal Scientist | Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Business |
| Most common college | Duke University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between principal scientists' and directors' demographics:
| Principal Scientist | Director | |
| Average age | 41 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% | Male, 53.2% Female, 46.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 6.4% White, 65.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 14% |