Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between research assistants and research specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a research assistant, becoming a research specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research specialist has an average salary of $52,662, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for a research assistant include patients, lab equipment and data collection. The most important skills for a research specialist are data collection, patients, and research projects.
| Research Assistant | Research Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $52,662 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $25.32 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 51,080 | 79,341 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
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.
In a laboratory setting, a research specialist's responsibilities primarily revolve around conducting thorough research and analysis, producing extensive detailed reports, reviewing results, and coordinating with senior researchers and other laboratory personnel to ensure the accuracy of results. Furthermore, a research specialist may contribute their expertise to other publications and articles, train or supervise new researchers, and implement all laboratory guidelines and safety regulations at all times.
Research assistants and research specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant | Research Specialist | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $52,662 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $64,000 | Between $35,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Novartis |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research assistant and a research specialist in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant | Research Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between research assistants' and research specialists' demographics:
| Research Assistant | Research Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% | Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0% |
| 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, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.1% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 10% |