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The differences between fellows and postdoctoral research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a fellow and a postdoctoral research associate. Additionally, a fellow has an average salary of $66,364, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.
The top three skills for a fellow include patients, professional development and veterans. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $66,364 | $52,785 |
| Hourly rate | $31.91 | $25.38 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 7,459 | 59,377 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A fellow's responsibility will depend on the organization or industry where one belongs. However, most of the time, a fellow's duty will revolve around conducting research and analysis, presiding discussions and attending dialogues, handle lectures while complying with the guidelines or tasks set by supervisors, and assist in various projects and activities. Furthermore, a fellow must adhere to the institution or organization's policies and regulations at all times, meet all the requirements and outputs involved, and coordinate with every person in the workforce.
A postdoctoral research associate is responsible for assisting the educational institution's research department, writing research reports, analyzing research methods, and collecting information and related studies to support the research claims. Postdoctoral research associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, reporting research updates to the research head, performing adjustments as needed, and gaining more expertise on the subject by brainstorming and discussing strategic procedures for the study. They may also conduct field investigation or coordinate with other institutions for additional reference, depending on the research's scope and limitation.
Fellows and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $66,364 | $52,785 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $93,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oak Ridge, TN | Memphis, TN |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Peterson Institute for International Economics | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Professional |
There are a few differences between a fellow and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between fellows' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 38.1% White, 43.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |