Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between senior scientists and research chemists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a senior scientist has an average salary of $106,672, which is higher than the $75,843 average annual salary of a research chemist.
The top three skills for a senior scientist include patients, data analysis and molecular biology. The most important skills for a research chemist are laboratory equipment, method development, and R.
| Senior Scientist | Research Chemist | |
| Yearly salary | $106,672 | $75,843 |
| Hourly rate | $51.28 | $36.46 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 49,712 | 53,769 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | - |
A senior scientist is usually in charge of overseeing experiments and evaluating junior scientists' performance, especially in laboratory settings. Moreover, it is also their responsibility to assess every progress report to ensure it's accuracy and validity. As a senior scientist in the field, it is essential to lead and encourage fellow scientists in their joint pursuit for scientific innovations, all while adhering to the laboratory's standards and policies.
A research chemist specializes in conducting studies and experiments to develop new products. Their duties primarily focus on conducting research and assessments, gathering and analyzing chemical samples, developing ideas, conducting tests to study chemical reactions, maintaining records of all procedures, and utilizing previous studies. Their research findings can be used to create new medicines, enhance existing products, and lead to innovations. When it comes to employment, a research chemist may work for pharmaceutical companies, private laboratories, government agencies, and learning institutions.
Senior scientists and research chemists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Scientist | Research Chemist | |
| Average salary | $106,672 | $75,843 |
| Salary range | Between $74,000 And $153,000 | Between $53,000 And $108,000 |
| Highest paying City | Redwood City, CA | McLean, VA |
| Highest paying state | California | Virginia |
| Best paying company | Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation | BP America Inc |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Energy |
There are a few differences between a senior scientist and a research chemist in terms of educational background:
| Senior Scientist | Research Chemist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 51% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between senior scientists' and research chemists' demographics:
| Senior Scientist | Research Chemist | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 70.1% Female, 29.9% | Male, 68.5% Female, 31.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 26.9% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 7.4% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 22.2% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 5% |