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Contract researcher vs research manager

The differences between contract researchers and research managers 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 manager. Additionally, a research manager has an average salary of $82,894, 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 manager are market research, analytics, and quantitative research.

Contract researcher vs research manager overview

Contract ResearcherResearch Manager
Yearly salary$50,230$82,894
Hourly rate$24.15$39.85
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs18,22348,867
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age3737
Years of experience66

What does a contract researcher do?

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.

What does a research manager do?

A Research Manager performs research, data collection, and economic, statistical, and demographic analysis. They also determine and implement research and development strategies, policies, and plans.

Contract researcher vs research manager salary

Contract researchers and research managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Contract ResearcherResearch Manager
Average salary$50,230$82,894
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $122,000Between $51,000 And $133,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-Washington
Best paying company-Meta
Best paying industry-Finance

Differences between contract researcher and research manager education

There are a few differences between a contract researcher and a research manager in terms of educational background:

Contract ResearcherResearch Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 64%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Contract researcher vs research manager demographics

Here are the differences between contract researchers' and research managers' demographics:

Contract ResearcherResearch Manager
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 51.5% Female, 48.5%Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1%
Race ratioBlack 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, 4.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.1% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between contract researcher and research manager duties and responsibilities

Contract researcher example responsibilities.

  • Manage placental research for high-risk obstetric patients with the purpose of determining relationship between the altitude and birth weight.
  • Attain and practice medical insurance information rapidly and correctly; including main carriers and Medicaid.
  • Analyze water chemistry (i.e.
  • Perform DNA analysis on applicable samples to include extractions, amplifications, and processing of amplify DNA.
  • Used SAS data steps, procedures and functions to create analysis datasets, tabulation datasets and listing datasets.
  • Assist research on the biological and environmental impacts of on-site construction using HPLC, GC-MS as an environmental engineer assistant.
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Research manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage IRB submissions and complete all IRB requirements in conjunction with the HICCC s regulatory department.
  • Lead social path-to-purchase study, incorporating social media analytics into insight community to identify spectrum of social engagement among customers.
  • Conduct QA for time and testing of products.
  • Implement document data extraction through online web-base research and sources.
  • Direct analytical and logistician research teams to produce in-depth studies and analyses on logistics, maintenance and transportation issues.
  • Coordinate communications with the IRB, NIH and other institutional entities that fund, support, collaborate and regulate research.
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Contract researcher vs research manager skills

Common contract researcher skills
  • R, 14%
  • Database Management, 14%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • Market Research Data, 5%
  • Quantitative Data, 5%
  • Statistical Analysis, 5%
Common research manager skills
  • Market Research, 8%
  • Analytics, 6%
  • Quantitative Research, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • Patients, 5%
  • Data Collection, 4%

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