Program research specialist vs graduate research student

The differences between program research specialists and graduate research students can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a program research specialist has an average salary of $60,904, which is higher than the $34,658 average annual salary of a graduate research student.

The top three skills for a program research specialist include data analysis, data collection and mathematics. The most important skills for a graduate research student are lab equipment, laboratory equipment, and python.

Program research specialist vs graduate research student overview

	Program Research Specialist	Graduate Research Student
Yearly salary	$60,904	$34,658
Hourly rate	$29.28	$16.66
Growth rate	19%	19%
Number of jobs	115,466	58,921
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age	37	44
Years of experience	6	-

What does a program research specialist do?

Program research specialists are professionals who are responsible for performing duties related to the business research program of an organization. These specialists must manage several major marketing research projects that aim to assess CRM solutions, marketing automation, and customer service processes. They must collect qualitative data and perform data analysis to create internal reports and provide recommendations to clients to improve services. Program research specialists must also use various software packages that can summarize and interpret statistical results.

What does a graduate research student do?

Graduate research students are learners who conduct degree program-related research in a research unit or an academic department. These students manage themselves independently as well as their work. They make certain that they have familiarized the requirements of the university. Educators and other scholars expect them to develop enough research and skills. Their responsibilities include academic honesty, participation in supervisory meetings, and maintenance of effective supervisor communication. In terms of their research, they should have a research plan ahead.

Program research specialist vs graduate research student salary

Program research specialists and graduate research students have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Program Research Specialist	Graduate Research Student
Average salary	$60,904	$34,658
Salary range	Between $40,000 And $90,000	Between $19,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City	Sacramento, CA	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	Delaware	Pennsylvania
Best paying company	SAP	Capgemini
Best paying industry	Technology	Education

Differences between program research specialist and graduate research student education

There are a few differences between a program research specialist and a graduate research student in terms of educational background:

	Program Research Specialist	Graduate Research Student
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 71%	Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Northwestern University	Stanford University

Program research specialist vs graduate research student demographics

Here are the differences between program research specialists' and graduate research students' demographics:

	Program Research Specialist	Graduate Research Student
Average age	37	44
Gender ratio	Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0%	Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.2% White, 64.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage	10%	6%

Differences between program research specialist and graduate research student duties and responsibilities

Program research specialist example responsibilities.

Manage study documentation throughout study life cycle including IRB annual renewals, modifications, patient study charts and regulatory binder.
Used SAS to review further information for merging projects.
Time code numerous videos for postdoctoral research on developmental behavior and violence -convert subject data into statistical input using IBM SPSS.
Evaluate antibodies by sandwich ELISA to determine their ability to capture or detect proteins.
Modify ELISA and western-blotting protocols to investigate biotin-labele protein-DNA complexes.
Participate in and run biofeedback experiments in the field of psychophysiology.

Graduate research student example responsibilities.

Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
Conduct molecular and cellular biology research techniques including DNA, RNA and protein isolation and analysis
Assist in organic chemistry laboratory on synthesis of molecule that behaves as fluorescent switch with cation binding properties
Perform Parkinson's psychological test on undergraduate students at UCLA and analyze data using statistical analysis software SPSS.
Analyze data using SAS statistical software, and map populations using GIS.
Summarize statistics from SAS outputs for USDA research grant investigating WIC and food insecurity.

Program research specialist vs graduate research student skills

Common program research specialist skills

Data Analysis, 14%
Data Collection, 10%
Mathematics, 10%
Public Health, 7%
Research Program, 6%
Research Studies, 5%

Common graduate research student skills

Lab Equipment, 11%
Laboratory Equipment, 6%
Python, 6%
C++, 5%
Chemistry, 5%
Cell Culture, 5%

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Program Research Specialist vs Graduate Research Student

Updated January 8, 2025

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