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The differences between principal investigators and research leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a principal investigator, becoming a research leader takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research leader has an average salary of $107,345, which is higher than the $84,635 average annual salary of a principal investigator.
The top three skills for a principal investigator include patients, data collection and project management. The most important skills for a research leader are data collection, data analysis, and market research.
| Principal Investigator | Research Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $84,635 | $107,345 |
| Hourly rate | $40.69 | $51.61 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 44,475 | 77,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 47 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
A Principal Investigator is the primary person who is responsible for designing, conducting, and reporting a research project. They report to a designated official such as the department head or division chief.
Research Leaders are academicians who oversee a group of researchers conducting a study. They are usually well-known researchers in their field of study or area of interest. They manage the group throughout the whole research process. They may orient them at the start of the engagement to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Research Leaders direct the group in identifying the resources needed, finding these resources, and eventually managing them. They also guide the team in conducting the research properly by providing strategic direction, sharing techniques, and helping them analyze the gathered data. With their experience in the field, Research Leaders usually provide frameworks that the team may work within.
Principal investigators and research leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Principal Investigator | Research Leader | |
| Average salary | $84,635 | $107,345 |
| Salary range | Between $59,000 And $120,000 | Between $64,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Incyte | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a principal investigator and a research leader in terms of educational background:
| Principal Investigator | Research Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between principal investigators' and research leaders' demographics:
| Principal Investigator | Research Leader | |
| Average age | 47 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 10% |