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The differences between laboratory interns and student research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a laboratory internship, becoming a student research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a laboratory internship has an average salary of $35,305, which is higher than the $27,475 average annual salary of a student research assistant.
The top three skills for a laboratory internship include lab procedures, chemistry and python. The most important skills for a student research assistant are lab equipment, student research, and data collection.
| Laboratory Internship | Student Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $35,305 | $27,475 |
| Hourly rate | $16.97 | $13.21 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 90,970 | 59,758 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A laboratory intern is responsible for assisting laboratory operations and perform examinations and experiments under the supervision of tenured laboratory staff. Laboratory interns shadow all the laboratory processes, document their observations, and conduct an in-depth analysis of the results. They must have excellent knowledge of scientific procedures, demonstrating their class learnings to practical applications. A laboratory intern must be detail-oriented, especially on conducting and verifying the accuracy of research materials. It is also required for a laboratory intern to be a fast-learner, understanding the scientific complexities to master various approaches.
A student research assistant is responsible for supporting the school's research department on conducting various research tasks using the techniques and resources provided by the supervising faculty. Student research assistants collect and verify research data, interpret and document findings using research methodologies, organize and prepare research materials, write research reports, and provide recommendations to improve research strategies and techniques. A student research assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multitask and be a fast-learner to interpret data within a specific time.
Laboratory interns and student research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Laboratory Internship | Student Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $35,305 | $27,475 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $48,000 | Between $19,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Jersey City, NJ | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a laboratory internship and a student research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Laboratory Internship | Student Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between laboratory interns' and student research assistants' demographics:
| Laboratory Internship | Student Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 40 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 47.8% Female, 52.2% | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.5% Asian, 18.2% White, 49.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |