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The differences between research scientists and postdoctoral associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a research scientist and a postdoctoral associate. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $54,350 average annual salary of a postdoctoral associate.
The top three skills for a research scientist include python, data analysis and patients. The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.
| Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $89,998 | $54,350 |
| Hourly rate | $43.27 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 93,013 | 18,093 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
A postdoctoral associate is responsible for researching to support scientific claims and theories by collecting evidence and information to answer scientific questions. Postdoctoral associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to interact with people and document investigation findings. They also utilize laboratory tools and equipment for scientific researches, conduct field investigations, and interview participants. A postdoctoral associate designs comprehensive research models to discuss results with the panel and the team efficiently and accurately.
Research scientists and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average salary | $89,998 | $54,350 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $137,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Maine |
| Best paying company | Lyft | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a research scientist and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:
| Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research scientists' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:
| Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |