Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between 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 research assistant and a laboratory research assistant. Additionally, a research assistant has an average salary of $42,896, which is higher than the $36,537 average annual salary of a laboratory research assistant.
The top three skills for a research assistant include patients, lab equipment and data collection. The most important skills for a laboratory research assistant are data collection, patients, and laboratory equipment.
| Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $36,537 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $17.57 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 51,080 | 87,343 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
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.
Research assistants and laboratory research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $36,537 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $64,000 | Between $24,000 And $53,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | New York University |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a research assistant and a laboratory research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between research assistants' and laboratory research assistants' demographics:
| Research Assistant | Laboratory Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 16.9% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | 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% |