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The differences between assistant professors and research assistant professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become an assistant professor, becoming a research assistant professor takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant professor has an average salary of $87,099, which is higher than the $73,455 average annual salary of a research assistant professor.
The top three skills for an assistant professor include patients, public health and pediatrics. The most important skills for a research assistant professor are research projects, biomedical, and research program.
| Assistant Professor | Research Assistant Professor | |
| Yearly salary | $87,099 | $73,455 |
| Hourly rate | $41.87 | $35.31 |
| Growth rate | 12% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 30,531 | 62,395 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Doctoral Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 46 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
An assistant professor is an entry-level position who teaches in a university, conducts research, and assists senior professors. Assistant professors supervise undergraduate and graduate students at the same time provide professors and department heads with feedback on the progress of their students. To be effective in teaching and mentoring students, assistant professors must possess strong communication skills with advanced knowledge of their field. They must also have a Ph. D degree in the relevant academic discipline as well as teaching experience in a university setting.
A research assistant professor works part-time at colleges or universities where they focus on conducting research and extensive studies. They typically work under the supervision and directives of a professor and perform support tasks such as gathering and analyzing samples through different scientific procedures, completing interviews and surveys, performing experiments and assessments, maintaining records, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Additionally, a research assistant professor may also teach undergraduates and participate in preparing activities and curriculum materials.
Assistant professors and research assistant professors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Assistant Professor | Research Assistant Professor | |
| Average salary | $87,099 | $73,455 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $151,000 | Between $52,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | UT Medical Group, Inc. | Stanford University |
| Best paying industry | Government | Health Care |
There are a few differences between an assistant professor and a research assistant professor in terms of educational background:
| Assistant Professor | Research Assistant Professor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 44% | Doctoral Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between assistant professors' and research assistant professors' demographics:
| Assistant Professor | Research Assistant Professor | |
| Average age | 46 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% | Male, 62.9% Female, 37.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 17.4% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 8% |