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Postdoc fellow vs researcher

The differences between postdoc fellows and researchers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a postdoc fellow and a researcher. Additionally, a researcher has an average salary of $67,145, which is higher than the $58,376 average annual salary of a postdoc fellow.

The top three skills for a postdoc fellow include molecular biology, data analysis and CRISPR. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.

Postdoc fellow vs researcher overview

Postdoc FellowResearcher
Yearly salary$58,376$67,145
Hourly rate$28.07$32.28
Growth rate17%17%
Number of jobs8,49930,498
Job satisfaction-3
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age4141
Years of experience44

Postdoc fellow vs researcher salary

Postdoc fellows and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Postdoc FellowResearcher
Average salary$58,376$67,145
Salary rangeBetween $42,000 And $80,000Between $37,000 And $119,000
Highest paying CityBurlingame, CANewark, NJ
Highest paying stateHawaiiConnecticut
Best paying companyTRI-ADRenaissance Learning
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between postdoc fellow and researcher education

There are a few differences between a postdoc fellow and a researcher in terms of educational background:

Postdoc FellowResearcher
Most common degreeDoctoral Degree, 58%Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common majorChemistryBiology
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

Postdoc fellow vs researcher demographics

Here are the differences between postdoc fellows' and researchers' demographics:

Postdoc FellowResearcher
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 71.1% Female, 28.9%Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.4% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 7.3% Asian, 45.5% White, 39.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%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 Percentage8%8%

Differences between postdoc fellow and researcher duties and responsibilities

Postdoc fellow example responsibilities.

  • Collaborate with software engineers to automate identification of 15N- and 13C- labele LC-MS features.
  • Perform expression profiling on primary promyelocyte samples and identify candidate genes that may be involve in SCN pathogenesis and malignant transformation.
  • Investigate chromatid orientation through immunofluorescence.

Researcher example responsibilities.

  • Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
  • Perform cellular assays, DNA extractions, PCR, and sequencing to identify cellulase- producing soil bacteria.
  • Implement data visualization tools by Java.
  • Present research findings to select professors and professionals at scholar conferences.
  • Master techniques in biomedical science research methods.
  • Collaborate with doctorates in the field of immunology.
  • Show more

Postdoc fellow vs researcher skills

Common postdoc fellow skills
  • Molecular Biology, 15%
  • Data Analysis, 10%
  • CRISPR, 9%
  • Python, 9%
  • Chemistry, 8%
  • Conduct Research, 7%
Common researcher skills
  • Python, 12%
  • Lab Equipment, 9%
  • C++, 8%
  • Data Analysis, 6%
  • Data Collection, 4%
  • R, 4%

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