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The differences between postdoctoral research associates and phd 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 postdoctoral research associate and an phd researcher. Additionally, a postdoctoral research associate has an average salary of $52,785, which is higher than the $51,634 average annual salary of an phd researcher.
The top three skills for a postdoctoral research associate include python, research projects and chemistry. The most important skills for an phd researcher are python, chemistry, and research projects.
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | PHD Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $52,785 | $51,634 |
| Hourly rate | $25.38 | $24.82 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,377 | 19,736 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 40% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
The primary job of a Ph.D. researcher is to plan and conduct experiments and analyzing their outcome. You will collect, organize, and analyze data and opinions to solve issues and predict trends. Other tasks you will perform include doing fieldwork to collect samples, writing reports, research papers, and reviews, and organizing materials testing. In addition, you need to liaise with research and production staff, develop ways to resolve problems, and supervise junior research staff.
Postdoctoral research associates and phd researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | PHD Researcher | |
| Average salary | $52,785 | $51,634 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $72,000 | Between $35,000 And $76,000 |
| Highest paying City | Memphis, TN | Novato, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | Argonne National Laboratory | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a postdoctoral research associate and an phd researcher in terms of educational background:
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | PHD Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 40% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between postdoctoral research associates' and phd researchers' demographics:
| Postdoctoral Research Associate | PHD Researcher | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% | Male, 61.7% Female, 38.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.3% Asian, 32.5% White, 47.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |