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The differences between graduate researchers and laboratory researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a graduate researcher has an average salary of $32,346, which is higher than the $27,760 average annual salary of a laboratory researcher.
The top three skills for a graduate researcher include R, cell culture and research projects. The most important skills for a laboratory researcher are lab procedures, cell culture, and molecular biology.
| Graduate Researcher | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $32,346 | $27,760 |
| Hourly rate | $15.55 | $13.35 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 17,313 | 57,359 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A graduate researcher is responsible for supporting an educational institution's academic research processes. Graduate researchers assist in data gathering and performing in-depth analysis using research methodologies under the supervision of a research professor. In some cases, graduate researchers also conduct field investigations and analyze other research publications to verify data accuracy. They prepare reports, share recommendations, and keep an organized database for research records. A graduate researcher must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, as this task requires interaction with the researchers and writing duties.
Laboratory researchers are professionals who manage a research laboratory while performing cellular and biochemical experiments with the primary researcher. These researchers must work with hazardous chemicals and should show expertise in handling lab equipment such as glassware and field equipment. They are required to assist with research projects and interpret the test data of an experiment. They must manage the order of all lab equipment by filling up the purchase requisition forms. Laboratory researchers are required to work with students in all aspects of laboratory research.
Graduate researchers and laboratory researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Researcher | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average salary | $32,346 | $27,760 |
| Salary range | Between $15,000 And $68,000 | Between $17,000 And $43,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | - | Maine |
| Best paying company | - | Los Alamos National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a graduate researcher and a laboratory researcher in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Researcher | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between graduate researchers' and laboratory researchers' demographics:
| Graduate Researcher | Laboratory Researcher | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7% | Male, 56.7% Female, 43.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 11.9% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |