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The differences between program research specialists and research leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a program research specialist and a research leader. Additionally, a research leader has an average salary of $107,345, which is higher than the $60,904 average annual salary of a program research specialist.
The top three skills for a program research specialist include data analysis, data collection and mathematics. The most important skills for a research leader are data collection, data analysis, and market research.
| Program Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $60,904 | $107,345 |
| Hourly rate | $29.28 | $51.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 115,466 | 77,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
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.
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.
Program research specialists and research leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Program Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Average salary | $60,904 | $107,345 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $90,000 | Between $64,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | Sacramento, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | SAP | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a program research specialist and a research leader in terms of educational background:
| Program Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between program research specialists' and research leaders' demographics:
| Program Research Specialist | Research Leader | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| 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, 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 | 10% | 10% |