Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between cancer researchers and researchers 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 researcher. Additionally, a cancer researcher has an average salary of $73,896, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.
The top three skills for a cancer researcher include patients, clinical research and clinical trials. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.
| Cancer Researcher | Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $73,896 | $67,145 |
| Hourly rate | $35.53 | $32.28 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 24,199 | 30,498 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| 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 researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Cancer researchers and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cancer Researcher | Researcher | |
| Average salary | $73,896 | $67,145 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $117,000 | Between $37,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | AstraZeneca | Renaissance Learning |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a cancer researcher and a researcher in terms of educational background:
| Cancer Researcher | Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between cancer researchers' and researchers' demographics:
| Cancer Researcher | Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 36.9% Female, 63.1% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |