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The differences between graduate interns and graduate student assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a graduate internship has an average salary of $52,511, which is higher than the $37,164 average annual salary of a graduate student assistant.
The top three skills for a graduate internship include patients, python and java. The most important skills for a graduate student assistant are cell culture, R, and chemistry.
| Graduate Internship | Graduate Student Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $52,511 | $37,164 |
| Hourly rate | $25.25 | $17.87 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 48,962 | 20,764 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A graduate internship is a short-term experience that oftentimes leads to a permanent position. The academic program allows graduates to experience different roles within an organization. This professional learning experience provides them with practical and meaningful work associated with their career interest or field of study. Many interns are hired by the company where they are working under an internship program due to their relevant work experience.
Graduate student assistants are graduate students who are employed as support personnel in universities. They assist professors as teaching assistants, research assistants, or aides, depending on their assigned instructions. Their duties include assisting professors in administrative tasks, organizing undergraduate events, and conducting research as well as analyzing data. During the assistantship period, instead of wages, they are given a stipend as compensation to the service provided. This graduate assistantship gives graduate students relevant experience and more employment options in the future.
Graduate interns and graduate student assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Internship | Graduate Student Assistant | |
| Average salary | $52,511 | $37,164 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $88,000 | Between $21,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Menorah Medical Center | Los Alamos National Security LLC |
| Best paying industry | Automotive | Education |
There are a few differences between a graduate internship and a graduate student assistant in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Internship | Graduate Student Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 69% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between graduate interns' and graduate student assistants' demographics:
| Graduate Internship | Graduate Student Assistant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.1% Female, 64.9% | Male, 49.9% Female, 50.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 10.4% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |