Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between biology laboratory assistants and professional research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a biology laboratory assistant, becoming a professional research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a professional research assistant has an average salary of $58,202, which is higher than the $34,240 average annual salary of a biology laboratory assistant.
The top three skills for a biology laboratory assistant include lab equipment, biology laboratory and chemistry. The most important skills for a professional research assistant are research projects, data collection, and patients.
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $34,240 | $58,202 |
| Hourly rate | $16.46 | $27.98 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 48,958 | 91,813 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A biology laboratory assistant is in charge of assisting scientists or researchers and performing laboratory support tasks on a daily basis. Their responsibilities include setting up and sanitizing equipment, preparing samples, maintaining documentation of all experiments and procedures, writing laboratory reports, and running errands as needed. There are also instances where they must update databases, answer calls and correspondence, and grade student papers. Furthermore, a biology laboratory assistant must maintain the cleanliness of laboratories, all while implementing its policies and regulations.
A professional research assistant works under the supervision of primary researchers leading research projects. Research assistants help the main researchers in different tasks supporting research activities. These tasks vary based on research conducted and their field. The assistants prepare the interview questions and provide a results summary. They respond to emails, participate in project meetings, and prepare progress reports. Skills necessary for this job include communication skills, critical thinking, attention to detail, scheduling, and planning.
Biology laboratory assistants and professional research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $34,240 | $58,202 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $52,000 | Between $38,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bridgewater, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Massachusetts General Hospital | Siemens |
| Best paying industry | Government | - |
There are a few differences between a biology laboratory assistant and a professional research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between biology laboratory assistants' and professional research assistants' demographics:
| Biology Laboratory Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.7% Female, 63.3% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.4% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.7% Asian, 14.9% White, 50.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.5% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |