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The differences between research laboratory managers and chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a chemist has an average salary of $64,961, which is higher than the $64,333 average annual salary of a research laboratory manager.
The top three skills for a research laboratory manager include lab equipment, research projects and lab safety. The most important skills for a chemist are chemistry, lab equipment, and test results.
| Research Laboratory Manager | Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $64,333 | $64,961 |
| Hourly rate | $30.93 | $31.23 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 89,981 | 20,221 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
Research laboratory managers are management professionals who are responsible for ensuring the smooth operation of laboratories by implementing safety lab procedures. These managers are required to coordinate the repair and maintenance of lab equipment while training lab technicians and assistants on the correct use of equipment. They must perform experimental studies and analyze the research data collected for research projects. Research laboratory managers must also manage the inventory of laboratory equipment while coordinating the purchase of lab supplies.
Chemists are generally responsible for observing and investigating chemical substances to create new and safe compounds essential for practical applications. They are often grouped depending on a particular area of specialization to focus and understand the complexities of the matter. A chemist usually takes time performing research and conducting experiments to test and further improve the quality and usage of a specific chemical substance. Chemists are expected to write on their observations and findings to establish scientific results.
Research laboratory managers and chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Laboratory Manager | Chemist | |
| Average salary | $64,333 | $64,961 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $91,000 | Between $46,000 And $90,000 |
| Highest paying City | Baltimore, MD | Wilmington, DE |
| Highest paying state | Maryland | Delaware |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a research laboratory manager and a chemist in terms of educational background:
| Research Laboratory Manager | Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 80% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between research laboratory managers' and chemists' demographics:
| Research Laboratory Manager | Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 45.2% Female, 54.8% | Male, 59.6% Female, 40.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |