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The differences between staff research 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 staff research scientist and a postdoctoral scholar. Additionally, a staff research scientist has an average salary of $106,793, which is higher than the $57,587 average annual salary of a postdoctoral scholar.
The top three skills for a staff research scientist include QC, HPLC and product development. The most important skills for a postdoctoral scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Staff Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $106,793 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $51.34 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 154,687 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
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.
Staff research scientists and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Staff Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $106,793 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $71,000 And $159,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Upstart Network | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a staff research scientist and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Staff Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between staff research scientists' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Staff Research Scientist | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| 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, 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% |