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The differences between doctoral research assistants and postdoctoral associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a doctoral research assistant, becoming a postdoctoral associate takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a doctoral research assistant has an average salary of $56,458, which is higher than the $54,350 average annual salary of a postdoctoral associate.
The top three skills for a doctoral research assistant include data collection, research projects and PI. The most important skills for a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.
| Doctoral Research Assistant | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $56,458 | $54,350 |
| Hourly rate | $27.14 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 53,091 | 18,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Doctoral research assistants and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Doctoral Research Assistant | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average salary | $56,458 | $54,350 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $77,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Maine |
| Best paying company | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a doctoral research assistant and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:
| Doctoral Research Assistant | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 56% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between doctoral research assistants' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:
| Doctoral Research Assistant | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |