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The differences between researchers and 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 researcher and a scientist. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.
The top three skills for a researcher include python, lab equipment and C++. The most important skills for a scientist are chemistry, data analysis, and patients.
| Researcher | Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $67,145 | $97,344 |
| Hourly rate | $32.28 | $46.80 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 30,498 | 62,467 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
A scientist is responsible for researching and analyzing the nature and complexities of the physical world to identify discoveries that would improve people's lives and ignite scientific knowledge for society. Scientists' duties differ in their different areas of expertise, but all of them must have a broad comprehension of scientific disciplines and methods to support their experiments and investigations. They collect the sample for their research, record findings, create research proposals, and release publications. A scientist must know how to utilize laboratory equipment to support the study and drive results efficiently and accurately.
Researchers and scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Researcher | Scientist | |
| Average salary | $67,145 | $97,344 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $119,000 | Between $67,000 And $140,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Renaissance Learning | Airbnb |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a researcher and a scientist in terms of educational background:
| Researcher | Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between researchers' and scientists' demographics:
| Researcher | Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |