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The differences between health physicists and research fellows can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a health physicist, becoming a research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a health physicist has an average salary of $74,942, which is higher than the $53,823 average annual salary of a research fellow.
The top three skills for a health physicist include radioactive materials, oversight and ALARA. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Health Physicist | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $74,942 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $36.03 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 47,640 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A health physicist investigates research principles by which radiation interacts with living systems and matter. Health physicists study environmental radioactivity levels. Part of their research is radiation's effects on biological systems in space and on earth. They ensure the proper functioning of the x-ray and the storage of radiation therapy. Part of their responsibility is to make sure that scientists are following regulations and safely using their radioactive materials. Also, they are advocates of human and environmental protection.
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
Health physicists and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Health Physicist | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $74,942 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $134,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | UCI Health | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Energy | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a health physicist and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Health Physicist | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Physics | Chemistry |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Duke University |
Here are the differences between health physicists' and research fellows' demographics:
| Health Physicist | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 48 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 76.9% Female, 23.1% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.8% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 7.2% White, 77.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 24% | 8% |