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The differences between graduate researchers and postdoctoral research associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a postdoctoral research associate has an average salary of $52,785, which is higher than the $32,346 average annual salary of a graduate researcher.
The top three skills for a graduate researcher include R, cell culture and research projects. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.
| Graduate Researcher | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $32,346 | $52,785 |
| Hourly rate | $15.55 | $25.38 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 17,313 | 59,377 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| 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.
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.
Graduate researchers and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Graduate Researcher | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $32,346 | $52,785 |
| Salary range | Between $15,000 And $68,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Memphis, TN |
| Highest paying state | - | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | - | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | - | Professional |
There are a few differences between a graduate researcher and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:
| Graduate Researcher | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between graduate researchers' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:
| Graduate Researcher | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7% | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% |
| 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, 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 | 6% | 8% |