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The differences between production chemists and quality control chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a production chemist has an average salary of $62,937, which is higher than the $58,892 average annual salary of a quality control chemist.
The top three skills for a production chemist include GMP, laboratory equipment and synthesis. The most important skills for a quality control chemist are QC, HPLC, and lab equipment.
| Production Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $62,937 | $58,892 |
| Hourly rate | $30.26 | $28.31 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 58,948 | 90,467 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A production chemist is responsible for conducting research and laboratory experiments to identify chemical resources that support the manufacturing of industrial products and services. Production chemists strategize on effective methods to maximize the product's quality and efficiency, following safety regulations and legislation procedures. They also run quality checks on the components to verify their safety and minimize their environmental effect. A production chemist must have excellent organizational and critical-thinking skills, as well as having extensive knowledge of the scientific industry.
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.
Production chemists and quality control chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average salary | $62,937 | $58,892 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $101,000 | Between $45,000 And $75,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pennsauken, NJ | North Kingstown, RI |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | Vermont |
| Best paying company | Bio-Rad Laboratories | Hallstar |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a production chemist and a quality control chemist in terms of educational background:
| Production Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 82% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between production chemists' and quality control chemists' demographics:
| Production Chemist | Quality Control Chemist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.4% Female, 29.6% | Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 24.4% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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 | 5% | 5% |