Principle investigator vs associate scientist

The differences between principle investigators and associate 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 principle investigator and an associate scientist. Additionally, a principle investigator has an average salary of $78,325, which is higher than the $76,461 average annual salary of an associate scientist.

The top three skills for a principle investigator include GPS, data collection and PI. The most important skills for an associate scientist are chemistry, patients, and cell culture.

Principle investigator vs associate scientist overview

	Principle Investigator	Associate Scientist
Yearly salary	$78,325	$76,461
Hourly rate	$37.66	$36.76
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	5,554	54,950
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Principle investigator vs associate scientist salary

Principle investigators and associate scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Principle Investigator	Associate Scientist
Average salary	$78,325	$76,461
Salary range	Between $46,000 And $133,000	Between $53,000 And $109,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Phillips 66
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between principle investigator and associate scientist education

There are a few differences between a principle investigator and an associate scientist in terms of educational background:

	Principle Investigator	Associate Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 59%	Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common major	Psychology	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Southern California

Principle investigator vs associate scientist demographics

Here are the differences between principle investigators' and associate scientists' demographics:

	Principle Investigator	Associate Scientist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1%	Male, 48.6% Female, 51.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between principle investigator and associate scientist duties and responsibilities

Principle investigator example responsibilities.

Manage outsource projects, and interact with vendors for API sourcing, and device components base on project needs.
Promote to perform sequence analysis and identify target primer sites for the development of PCR assays for bacterial species.
Synthesize and analyze experimental data using IBM SPSS.
Investigate the toxicology and efficacy of bioresorbable, polymer-base medical devices and extend release drug delivery system.
Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.
Supervise activities of analytical cellular and molecular immunology laboratories.

Associate scientist example responsibilities.

Manage study protocols and study conduct, intimately involve in the toxicology and pharmacokinetic study protocol development process.
Generate crispr knockout STAT1, STAT3 and STAT1 & 3double knockout cell lines.
Use CRISPR technology to create target knockout cell line.
Direct ISO 9000 4.10 team registration activities and perform internal audits.
Prepare stock reagents and buffers for use in manufacturing assay kits.
Confirm the quality of product meet specifications according to cGMP and ICH guidelines.

Principle investigator vs associate scientist skills

Common principle investigator skills

GPS, 9%
Data Collection, 8%
PI, 8%
Literature Reviews, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
Research Projects, 5%

Common associate scientist skills

Chemistry, 9%
Patients, 8%
Cell Culture, 5%
Data Analysis, 5%
GMP, 4%
Lab Equipment, 3%

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Principle Investigator
Principle Investigator vs Associate Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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