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The differences between visiting researchers and principal scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a visiting researcher and a principal scientist. Additionally, a principal scientist has an average salary of $119,982, which is higher than the $68,912 average annual salary of a visiting researcher.
The top three skills for a visiting researcher include python, java and climate. The most important skills for a principal scientist are oncology, data analysis, and drug discovery.
| Visiting Researcher | Principal Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $68,912 | $119,982 |
| Hourly rate | $33.13 | $57.68 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 14,622 | 80,899 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A visiting researcher is usually a postdoc, assistant, or associate professor who wants to carry out research or perform other professional development activity in an institution, and so they either visit or spend sabbaticals there. Their duties are largely dependent on the institution. However, they may be required to make presentations about your research during their stay. They may also be expected to contribute actively to on-going activities in any of the programs.
A Principal Scientist is focused on leading scientific teams and conducting research. They ensure that their teams have the resources to properly perform research tasks.
Visiting researchers and principal scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Visiting Researcher | Principal Scientist | |
| Average salary | $68,912 | $119,982 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $115,000 | Between $84,000 And $169,000 |
| Highest paying City | Berkeley, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Finance |
There are a few differences between a visiting researcher and a principal scientist in terms of educational background:
| Visiting Researcher | Principal Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Physics | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between visiting researchers' and principal scientists' demographics:
| Visiting Researcher | Principal Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.0% Female, 38.0% | Male, 76.8% Female, 23.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 28.3% White, 51.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.3% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |