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The differences between contract researchers and research analysts can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a contract researcher and a research analyst. Additionally, a research analyst has an average salary of $70,232, which is higher than the $50,230 average annual salary of a contract researcher.
The top three skills for a contract researcher include R, database management and data collection. The most important skills for a research analyst are data analysis, data collection, and research projects.
| Contract Researcher | Research Analyst | |
| Yearly salary | $50,230 | $70,232 |
| Hourly rate | $24.15 | $33.77 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 18,223 | 81,374 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A Contract Researcher provides research support services for various industries, such as pharmaceutical and biotechnology. They are contracted by companies to lead the company's trials, duties, and functions.
A research analyst is responsible for providing a company with insights and advice concerning finance, investments, and expenditures. Utilizing their analytical skills and extensive expertise in marketing, they analyze the trends and significant factors to conclude which decision should be the best to make. They can also take part in conducting an in-depth analysis of a business and examine which areas require improvement or has potential. Furthermore, they may work with a company or independently as a freelance analyst.
Contract researchers and research analysts have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Researcher | Research Analyst | |
| Average salary | $50,230 | $70,232 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $122,000 | Between $45,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | - | Washington |
| Best paying company | - | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Finance |
There are a few differences between a contract researcher and a research analyst in terms of educational background:
| Contract Researcher | Research Analyst | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between contract researchers' and research analysts' demographics:
| Contract Researcher | Research Analyst | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.5% Female, 48.5% | Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |