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The differences between postdoctoral research scientists and senior research fellows 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 scientist and a senior research fellow. Additionally, a senior research fellow has an average salary of $62,129, which is higher than the $53,781 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research scientist.
The top three skills for a postdoctoral research scientist include python, C++ and research projects. The most important skills for a senior research fellow are python, research projects, and data analysis.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $53,781 | $62,129 |
| Hourly rate | $25.86 | $29.87 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 90,782 | 53,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Postdoctoral Research Scientist undertakes and analyzes information about investigations, experiments, and trials from a controlled laboratory. They work in almost every area of science.
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Postdoctoral research scientists and senior research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $53,781 | $62,129 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Meta | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a postdoctoral research scientist and a senior research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 43% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between postdoctoral research scientists' and senior research fellows' demographics:
| Postdoctoral Research Scientist | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% | Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 35.6% White, 45.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |