Career comparison
Biochemist vs. Medical Scientist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Biochemists earn more at the median ($127,410 vs. $103,410), while biochemists usually get to work faster (5–6 years after a bachelor’s of training). Biochemists study the chemistry of living things to develop medicines and new technologies. Medical scientists research diseases and develop treatments to improve human health.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Biochemist | Medical Scientist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $127,410 ($61.26/hr) | $103,410 ($49.72/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $74,290 – $201,110 | $64,800 – $177,780 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +12.3% (much faster than average) | +12.6% (much faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 2,900 | 10,500 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 5–6 years after a bachelor’s | 5–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ph.D. | Ph.D. or M.D. |
| Work setting | Biochemists work in labs at universities, biotech and pharma companies.. | Medical scientists work in labs, hospitals and offices.. |
What each job does
Biochemist
- Design experiments
- Purify proteins
- Run assays
- Analyze data
- Write papers
Medical Scientist
- Design studies
- Run lab experiments
- Design clinical trials
- Analyze data
- Write grants
How they’re similar
Both careers involve high-pay, in-demand, working with information, and problem-solving. Both are part of the science, engineering & lab field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose biochemist if…
- I love biology and chemistry
- I’m persistent
- I like lab work
Choose medical scientist if…
- I want to cure diseases
- I love research
- I’m persistent
Still torn? Take the Biochemist fit quiz and the Medical Scientist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, biochemist or medical scientist?
Biochemists earn more at the median: $127,410 versus $103,410 for medical scientists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Biochemists typically train faster (5–6 years after a bachelor’s) than medical scientists (5–8 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects medical scientists to grow +12.6% from 2025–35, compared with +12.3% for biochemists.