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Graduate student internship vs graduate research student

The differences between graduate student interns and graduate research students can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a graduate research student has an average salary of $34,658, which is higher than the $30,945 average annual salary of a graduate student internship.

The top three skills for a graduate student internship include patients, speech-language pathologist and data collection. The most important skills for a graduate research student are lab equipment, laboratory equipment, and python.

Graduate student internship vs graduate research student overview

Graduate Student InternshipGraduate Research Student
Yearly salary$30,945$34,658
Hourly rate$14.88$16.66
Growth rate21%19%
Number of jobs56,98258,921
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a graduate student internship do?

Graduate interns work in different industries, and their job responsibilities may vary. As a graduate student intern, you may be expected to offer your services free of charge to the company you find placement in exchange for the experience you'll be getting. In other cases, you may be offered compensation of some sort. Most often than not, you will be assigned to a department to work under the supervision of the head of that unit.

What does a graduate research student do?

Graduate research students are learners who conduct degree program-related research in a research unit or an academic department. These students manage themselves independently as well as their work. They make certain that they have familiarized the requirements of the university. Educators and other scholars expect them to develop enough research and skills. Their responsibilities include academic honesty, participation in supervisory meetings, and maintenance of effective supervisor communication. In terms of their research, they should have a research plan ahead.

Graduate student internship vs graduate research student salary

Graduate student interns and graduate research students have different pay scales, as shown below.

Graduate Student InternshipGraduate Research Student
Average salary$30,945$34,658
Salary rangeBetween $18,000 And $50,000Between $19,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City-Boston, MA
Highest paying state-Pennsylvania
Best paying company-Capgemini
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between graduate student internship and graduate research student education

There are a few differences between a graduate student internship and a graduate research student in terms of educational background:

Graduate Student InternshipGraduate Research Student
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 72%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorPsychologyBiology
Most common collegeUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillStanford University

Graduate student internship vs graduate research student demographics

Here are the differences between graduate student interns' and graduate research students' demographics:

Graduate Student InternshipGraduate Research Student
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 25.8% Female, 74.2%Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 5.7% White, 57.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between graduate student internship and graduate research student duties and responsibilities

Graduate student internship example responsibilities.

  • Help veterans and their families learn to manage symptoms of PTSD through education, self-awareness, and becoming aware of triggers.
  • Collaborate with OTR on needs of clients to increase strength, endurance and independence with ADL's upon discharge.
  • Provide client and caregiver education regarding safety, ADL reeducation, or techniques and strategies that will benefit the client occupationally.
  • Perform kinetic and mechanistic studies using NMR spectroscopy.
  • Collaborate with organic chemists improving the effectiveness of RNA inhibitors.
  • Perform quantitative determination of primary pollutant's degradation using HPLC.
  • Show more

Graduate research student example responsibilities.

  • Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
  • Conduct molecular and cellular biology research techniques including DNA, RNA and protein isolation and analysis
  • Assist in organic chemistry laboratory on synthesis of molecule that behaves as fluorescent switch with cation binding properties
  • Perform Parkinson's psychological test on undergraduate students at UCLA and analyze data using statistical analysis software SPSS.
  • Analyze data using SAS statistical software, and map populations using GIS.
  • Summarize statistics from SAS outputs for USDA research grant investigating WIC and food insecurity.
  • Show more

Graduate student internship vs graduate research student skills

Common graduate student internship skills
  • Patients, 17%
  • Speech-Language Pathologist, 14%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • Mental Health, 6%
  • Group Therapy Sessions, 4%
  • Traumatic Brain Injury, 3%
Common graduate research student skills
  • Lab Equipment, 11%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 6%
  • Python, 6%
  • C++, 5%
  • Chemistry, 5%
  • Cell Culture, 5%

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