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The differences between asbestos microscopists and research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an asbestos microscopist, becoming a research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an asbestos microscopist has an average salary of $57,182, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for an asbestos microscopist include PLM, TEM and electron microscope. The most important skills for a research assistant are patients, lab equipment, and data collection.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $57,182 | $42,896 |
| Hourly rate | $27.49 | $20.62 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 249 | 51,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 39 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Asbestos microscopists prepare and analyze materials for asbestos fibers. These professionals complete material analyses correctly and give updates about the results. They perform data entry precisely and efficiently and maintain and calibrate microscopes to improve their accuracy. Also, Asbestos microscopists attend scheduled training seminars and departmental meetings. Other duties performed by Asbestos microscopists include maintaining professional attendance for scheduled shifts and accurately identifying challenging samples. Moreover, Asbestos microscopists establish and maintain excellent relationships with other staff members.
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
Asbestos microscopists and research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $57,182 | $42,896 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $98,000 | Between $28,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | JPMorgan Chase & Co. |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an asbestos microscopist and a research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between asbestos microscopists' and research assistants' demographics:
| Asbestos Microscopist | Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 39 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 66.7% Female, 33.3% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 6.2% Asian, 5.0% White, 81.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 16.9% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |