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The differences between senior chemists and staff scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a staff scientist has an average salary of $93,941, which is higher than the $91,008 average annual salary of a senior chemist.
The top three skills for a senior chemist include method development, laboratory equipment and HPLC. The most important skills for a staff scientist are data analysis, research projects, and molecular biology.
| Senior Chemist | Staff Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $91,008 | $93,941 |
| Hourly rate | $43.75 | $45.16 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 12,823 | 121,054 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
Senior Chemists are responsible for designing, developing, and testing formulations and compounds. They also maintain and troubleshoot laboratory equipment and relevant documentation.
The primary role of a Staff Scientist is to develop and manage scientific research projects with minimal supervision. They are also responsible for the technical and budgetary aspects of scientific research projects.
Senior chemists and staff scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Chemist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average salary | $91,008 | $93,941 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $123,000 | Between $63,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fremont, CA | Redwood City, CA |
| Highest paying state | Vermont | California |
| Best paying company | Etsy | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Technology |
There are a few differences between a senior chemist and a staff scientist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Chemist | Staff Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 60% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Duke University |
Here are the differences between senior chemists' and staff scientists' demographics:
| Senior Chemist | Staff Scientist | |
| Average age | 42 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.6% Female, 32.4% | Male, 67.8% Female, 32.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 22.3% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |