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The differences between production scientists and pharmaceutical 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 production scientist and a pharmaceutical scientist. Additionally, a pharmaceutical scientist has an average salary of $79,535, which is higher than the $77,464 average annual salary of a production scientist.
The top three skills for a production scientist include process improvement, QC and lab equipment. The most important skills for a pharmaceutical scientist are dosage forms, pharmaceutical sciences, and formulation development.
| Production Scientist | Pharmaceutical Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $77,464 | $79,535 |
| Hourly rate | $37.24 | $38.24 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 100,301 | 45,560 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A production scientist analyzes production operations and manufacturing processes to identify gaps, modify current procedures that would increase process efficiency, and maximize optimal performance. Production scientists inspect the tools and materials utilized for the production and oversee research trials for process formulations. They also develop opportunities and design models that support business functions, generating more innovation and increasing more revenue resources for the business. A production scientist writes research findings, manages resources, and determines various process feasibility.
Pharmaceutical scientists must have master's degrees or doctorates in pharmacology, chemistry, biology, anatomy, or math. Paid around $86K per year, those who choose this career path perform drug discovery research, development, and testing. They also execute experiments for system-based research projects aimed at introducing new drugs to the marketplace.
Production scientists and pharmaceutical scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Production Scientist | Pharmaceutical Scientist | |
| Average salary | $77,464 | $79,535 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $124,000 | Between $55,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Beckman Coulter | BASi |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a production scientist and a pharmaceutical scientist in terms of educational background:
| Production Scientist | Pharmaceutical Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 83% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Pharmacy |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between production scientists' and pharmaceutical scientists' demographics:
| Production Scientist | Pharmaceutical Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% | Male, 63.0% Female, 37.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 23.3% White, 57.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |