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The differences between contract researchers and researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a contract researcher, becoming a researcher takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a researcher has an average salary of $67,145, 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 researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.
| Contract Researcher | Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $50,230 | $67,145 |
| Hourly rate | $24.15 | $32.28 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 18,223 | 30,498 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
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 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.
Contract researchers and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Contract Researcher | Researcher | |
| Average salary | $50,230 | $67,145 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $122,000 | Between $37,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | Renaissance Learning |
| Best paying industry | - | - |
There are a few differences between a contract researcher and a researcher in terms of educational background:
| Contract Researcher | Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between contract researchers' and researchers' demographics:
| Contract Researcher | Researcher | |
| Average age | 37 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.5% Female, 48.5% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 8% |