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The differences between faculty research assistants and research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a faculty research assistant and a research assistant. Additionally, a faculty research assistant has an average salary of $59,697, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for a faculty research assistant include research faculty, C++ and biomedical. The most important skills for a research assistant are patients, lab equipment, and data collection.
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $59,697 | $42,896 |
| Hourly rate | $28.70 | $20.62 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 56,780 | 51,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
The main job of a faculty research assistant is to gather and log experimental data. Faculty research assistants analyze the statistical aspect of data sets. They prepare spreadsheets and graphs to portray research results. Their duties and responsibilities include the creation of posters and slides to aid researchers in presenting their findings. They need to develop skills in communication, technical, critical thinking, scheduling, and planning. Also, they must know how to maintain safety, quality, and infection control standards.
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
Faculty research assistants and research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $59,697 | $42,896 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $92,000 | Between $28,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a faculty research assistant and a research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between faculty research assistants' and research assistants' demographics:
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 52.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 16.9% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |