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The differences between scientists and postdoctoral scholars can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a scientist and a postdoctoral scholar. Additionally, a scientist has an average salary of $97,344, which is higher than the $57,587 average annual salary of a postdoctoral scholar.
The top three skills for a scientist include chemistry, data analysis and patients. The most important skills for a postdoctoral scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $97,344 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $46.80 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 62,467 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
Scientists and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $97,344 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $140,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Airbnb | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a scientist and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 60% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between scientists' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.9% Female, 43.1% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |