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The differences between psychology research assistants and laboratory research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a psychology research assistant and a laboratory research assistant. Additionally, a psychology research assistant has an average salary of $54,582, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.
The top three skills for a psychology research assistant include data collection, SPSS and research projects. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.
| Psychology Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $54,582 | $36,537 |
| Hourly rate | $26.24 | $17.57 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 48,891 | 87,343 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Psychologists are responsible for studying cognitive and social processes through observation and therapy. They typically focus on understanding and articulating the emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and feelings of their clients. Their typical day-to-day duties may include researching clients' behavior and brain functionality, identifying emotional and behavioral patterns of their clients, and diagnosing and treating emotional, mental, or behavioral disorders. Other duties include developing programs to address psychological issues and collaborating with other health care professionals or social workers in treating patients.
A laboratory research assistant is an individual who performs lab experiments and carries out projects designed by senior lab staff members. Laboratory research assistants design and conduct experiments using biohazards and other dangerous materials to gain information and test scientific processes. They must write detailed reports of their research and experiments and then deliver these reports in written and verbal forms. Laboratory research assistants may also work in different settings such as medical facilities and pharmaceutical companies.
Psychology research assistants and laboratory research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Psychology Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $54,582 | $36,537 |
| Salary range | Between $34,000 And $86,000 | Between $24,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | Piscataway, NJ | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | MassBay Community College | New York University |
| Best paying industry | Education | Education |
There are a few differences between a psychology research assistant and a laboratory research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Psychology Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 79% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between psychology research assistants' and laboratory research assistants' demographics:
| Psychology Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.2% Female, 72.8% | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 11.5% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |