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The differences between staff psychiatrists and forensic psychiatrists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a staff psychiatrist and a forensic psychiatrist. Additionally, a staff psychiatrist has an average salary of $254,265, which is higher than the $216,927 average annual salary of a forensic psychiatrist.
| Staff Psychiatrist | Forensic Psychiatrist | |
| Yearly salary | $254,265 | $216,927 |
| Hourly rate | $122.24 | $104.29 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 95,691 | 12,127 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Staff Psychiatrist provides psychiatric services for the treatment of patients with mental health problems in an outpatient and/or inpatient setting. They are also responsible for supervising and training advanced psychiatry residents.
Forensic psychiatrists are medical doctors who are trained in mental health and law. The psychiatrists assess facts and defendants' mental state and report their findings to lawyers. They specifically evaluate the areas of depression, anxiety, hysteria, and psychotic conditions like schizophrenia. Primarily, they provide expert testimony to the jury during trial. Their duties and responsibilities include the assessment of their clients, provision of diagnosis, and the prescription of medication. And to become a successful forensic psychiatrist, one should have strong communication skills and a pleasing manner.
Staff psychiatrists and forensic psychiatrists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Psychiatrist | Forensic Psychiatrist | |
| Average salary | $254,265 | $216,927 |
| Salary range | Between $162,000 And $398,000 | Between $118,000 And $398,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fargo, ND | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Mercy Health | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a staff psychiatrist and a forensic psychiatrist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Psychiatrist | Forensic Psychiatrist | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 35% | Bachelor's Degree, 33% |
| Most common major | Medicine | Biology |
| Most common college | University of California - Los Angeles | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between staff psychiatrists' and forensic psychiatrists' demographics:
| Staff Psychiatrist | Forensic Psychiatrist | |
| Average age | 48 | 48 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.0% Female, 35.0% | Male, 58.3% Female, 41.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.2% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 18.1% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 3.9% Unknown, 2.4% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 19.4% White, 68.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |