Q: Can anyone be a research assistant?

No, not anyone can be a research assistant. A research assistant position, typically in a clinical or academic setting, is usually for individuals who already have a bachelor's degree or master's degree and are considering a career in academia (e.g., Ph.D.) or more advanced clinical research procedures (e.g., DNA extraction).

Q: Do you need a PhD to be a research assistant?

No, you do not need a PhD to be a research assistant. The minimum educational requirements to become a Research Assistant will depend on the employer. A degree in a relevant discipline with research experience (Honours) is commonly required, although some employers may require a master's level qualification or enrollment in a PhD program.

Q: Do you get paid for being a research assistant?

Yes, you do get paid for being a research assistant. Most research assistants are paid. However, most research assistants are not permanent positions as they usually last anywhere from a few months to a few years, usually dependent on the length of the research grant.

Q: Is research assistant a good career?

Yes, research assistant is a good career. Working as a research assistant is a great way to learn research techniques and get in-field experience and can be a great stepping stone to working in a variety of careers.

Q: What is the hourly rate for a research assistant?

The hourly rate for a research assistant is $21.15. The average research assistant starts at around $12.00 per hour but can get as high as $40.00 an hour depending on the location, the type of research assistant, and the level of experience.

Question 1

How long does it take to become a Research Assistant?

Accepted Answer

It takes 2 years of professional experience to become a research assistant. That is the time it takes to learn specific research assistant skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 5 to 7 years years to become a research assistant.

Question 2

Can anyone be a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

No, not anyone can be a research assistant. A research assistant position, typically in a clinical or academic setting, is usually for individuals who already have a bachelor's degree or master's degree and are considering a career in academia (e.g., Ph.D.) or more advanced clinical research procedures (e.g., DNA extraction).

Question 3

Do you need a PhD to be a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

No, you do not need a PhD to be a research assistant. The minimum educational requirements to become a Research Assistant will depend on the employer.

A degree in a relevant discipline with research experience (Honours) is commonly required, although some employers may require a master's level qualification or enrollment in a PhD program.

Question 4

How to get research experience

Accepted Answer

You must inquire with a professor at the university in order to get research experience. It helps if you have already taken a class with the specific professor, and especially if you have already established a relationship outside of their class.

Question 5

What is a good starting salary for a Research Assistant?

Accepted Answer

A good starting salary for a research assistant is $28,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a research assistant in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for research assistants is $41,424, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a research assistant can vary by state.

Question 6

Do you get paid for being a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you do get paid for being a research assistant. Most research assistants are paid. However, most research assistants are not permanent positions as they usually last anywhere from a few months to a few years, usually dependent on the length of the research grant.

Question 7

How much do you get paid as a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

You get paid $43,190 a year as a research assistant, on average. This can range anywhere from as low as $25,000 a year to as high as $84,000 a year for a specialized clinical research assistant.

Question 8

Is research assistant a good career?

Accepted Answer

Yes, research assistant is a good career. Working as a research assistant is a great way to learn research techniques and get in-field experience and can be a great stepping stone to working in a variety of careers.

Question 9

What is the hourly rate for a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

The hourly rate for a research assistant is $21.15. The average research assistant starts at around $12.00 per hour but can get as high as $40.00 an hour depending on the location, the type of research assistant, and the level of experience.

Question 10

Can a research assistant make 100k?

Accepted Answer

Yes, you can make $100,000 per year as a research assistant. While possible, it is unlikely to earn over $100k as a research assistant because even higher-paid positions do not typically earn more than $61,000 per year. The average annual salary for a research assistant is $41,424.

Question 11

How do I get a job as a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

To get a job as a research assistant, you should have a bachelor's degree and a general interest in conducting research in an academic or clinical setting.

Many research assistants are bachelor's students (or soon-to-be graduates). However, some research assistants have a master's degree or Ph.D. (e.g., postdoc research assistant fellowship).

Question 12

What qualifications do you need to be a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

The qualifications you need to be a research assistant are a bachelor's degree (or in the process of earning one) and a keen interest in the research process.

The duties of a research assistant can vary throughout the life of a research project. In the early stages, you may be required to look for grants or funding opportunities. Many research projects cannot be undertaken without funding from an overseeing body such as a government department, research council, or private company.

Question 13

What percentage of Research Assistants are female?

Accepted Answer

52.9% of research assistants are female in the United States. This is 5.3 percentage points higher than last year. Additionally, the percentage of female research assistants has increased by 6.1 percentage points since 2010. That means there are a total of 106,357 female research assistants in the U.S. and 94,697 male research assistants in the United States. Note that Zippia's estimate accounts only for the 201,054 people with the specific job title of research assistant and doesn't include grouping similar job titles, or people with potentially similar credentialing.

Question 14

How do I describe my research position on my resume?

Accepted Answer

To describe a research position in your resume, first decide on which section you want to include it under. You may have a Work Experience section, but often for recent grads, it may be more appropriate to have an Academic Accomplishments or Research Experience section where your position would fit.

Question 15

How do you describe a graduate research assistant on a resume?

Accepted Answer

To describe a graduate research assistant on a resume, condense the experience into key bullet points. This information would fall under Work History or a Project History section.

First, write your job title, followed by the duration and institution of where you worked. You may want to include the name of your mentor. See if you can summarize your studies in a sentence, then spell out your duties including what tools, equipment, or software you used.

Question 16

What are example achievements of a research assistant?

Accepted Answer

An example achievement of a research assistant includes published articles, grant-writing successes, and experience in important experiments. Publications and presentations are also an entire section you can put on your resume that shows your achievements.

Frequently asked questions about research assistants

Questions about becoming a research assistant