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The differences between principal scientists and staff 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 principal scientist and a staff scientist. Additionally, a principal scientist has an average salary of $119,982, which is higher than the $93,941 average annual salary of a staff scientist.
The top three skills for a principal scientist include oncology, data analysis and drug discovery. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Principal Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $119,982 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $57.68 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 80,899 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 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.
The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.
Principal scientists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $119,982 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $84,000 And $169,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | PayPal | Etsy |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a principal scientist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Principal Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between principal scientists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Principal Scientist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |