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The differences between fellows and postdoctoral scholars 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 scholar. Additionally, a fellow has an average salary of $66,364, which is higher than the $57,587 average annual salary of a postdoctoral scholar.
The top three skills for a fellow include patients, professional development and veterans. The most important skills for a postdoctoral scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $66,364 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $31.91 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 7,459 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
Fellows and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $66,364 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $93,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Oak Ridge, TN | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Tennessee | California |
| Best paying company | Peterson Institute for International Economics | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a fellow and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Political Science | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between fellows' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| 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, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |