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The differences between staff research scientists and assistant research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a staff research scientist, becoming an assistant research scientist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a staff research scientist has an average salary of $106,793, which is higher than the $62,780 average annual salary of an assistant research scientist.
The top three skills for a staff research scientist include QC, HPLC and product development. The most important skills for an assistant research scientist are research projects, data collection, and data analysis.
| Staff Research Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $106,793 | $62,780 |
| Hourly rate | $51.34 | $30.18 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 154,687 | 88,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A staff research scientist is responsible for conducting and evaluating research. They may work in areas such as meteorology, geosciences, medical research, or pharmacology. They develop experiments, conduct them, and analyze data.
An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
Staff research scientists and assistant research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Research Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $106,793 | $62,780 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $159,000 | Between $43,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Upstart Network | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a staff research scientist and an assistant research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Staff Research Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between staff research scientists' and assistant research scientists' demographics:
| Staff Research Scientist | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 31.6% White, 48.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |