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The differences between faculty research assistants and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a faculty research assistant, becoming a research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $59,697 average annual salary of a faculty research assistant.
The top three skills for a faculty research assistant include research faculty, C++ and biomedical. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $59,697 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $28.70 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 56,780 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Faculty research assistants and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $59,697 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $92,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | California |
| Best paying company | Lyft | |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | - |
There are a few differences between a faculty research assistant and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between faculty research assistants' and research scientists' demographics:
| Faculty Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.3% Female, 52.7% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |