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The differences between research scientists and research engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a research scientist, becoming a research engineer takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, which is higher than the $89,998 average annual salary of a research scientist.
The top three skills for a research scientist include python, data analysis and patients. The most important skills for a research engineer are python, java, and software development.
| Research Scientist | Research Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $89,998 | $96,945 |
| Hourly rate | $43.27 | $46.61 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 93,013 | 136,763 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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.
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
Research scientists and research engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Scientist | Research Engineer | |
| Average salary | $89,998 | $96,945 |
| Salary range | Between $58,000 And $137,000 | Between $67,000 And $138,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Lyft | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Start-up |
There are a few differences between a research scientist and a research engineer in terms of educational background:
| Research Scientist | Research Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 65% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Mechanical Engineering |
| Most common college | Duke University | Georgia Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between research scientists' and research engineers' demographics:
| Research Scientist | Research Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% |
| 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, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |