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The differences between cancer researchers and research fellows can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a cancer researcher and a research fellow. Additionally, a cancer researcher has an average salary of $73,896, which is higher than the $53,823 average annual salary of a research fellow.
The top three skills for a cancer researcher include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Cancer Researcher | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $73,896 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $35.53 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 24,199 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A cancer researcher is a medical scientist who devotes their time working at laboratories to study and discover ways to diagnose and treat cancer, saving countless people's lives in the process. Their duties usually include gathering and analyzing samples through basic or complex laboratory processes, studying existing cases from people of all ages, organizing specimens and instruments, coordinating with fellow experts, conducting experiments, and maintaining extensive records. Moreover, as a cancer researcher, it is essential to keep an open communication line with fellow researchers, collaborating efforts for a smooth workflow.
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
Cancer researchers and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cancer Researcher | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $73,896 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $117,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a cancer researcher and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Cancer Researcher | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Duke University |
Here are the differences between cancer researchers' and research fellows' demographics:
| Cancer Researcher | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |