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The differences between principal scientists and quality control chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a principal scientist has an average salary of $119,982, which is higher than the $58,892 average annual salary of a quality control chemist.
The top three skills for a principal scientist include oncology, data analysis and drug discovery. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.
| Principal Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $119,982 | $58,892 |
| Hourly rate | $57.68 | $28.31 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 80,899 | 90,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
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.
A Quality Control Chemist uses chemistry lab skills to test and measure materials, usually in a manufacturing or pharmaceutical field. They analyze samples using scientific equipment, prepare study protocols, collect data, and identify and investigate abnormal test results.
Principal scientists and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average salary | $119,982 | $58,892 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $169,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | California | Vermont |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Hallstar |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a principal scientist and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:
| Principal Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between principal scientists' and quality control chemists' demographics:
| Principal Scientist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| 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, 7.7% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 21.4% White, 56.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |