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The differences between research assistants and research technicians 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 technician takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research technician has an average salary of $43,034, 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 technician are patients, data collection, and cell culture.
| Research Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $43,034 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $20.69 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 51,080 | 64,786 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
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 research technician is responsible for assisting in research studies and laboratory experiments. Research technicians operate laboratory tools and equipment, process data for experiments, collect samples for study, analyze existing research materials, analyze experiment results, manage inventories and stock supplies, record observations, and create reports for further examination. A research technician must have strong analytical and scientific knowledge, as well as a passion for research writing and investigations crucial for this kind of industry.
Research assistants and research technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $43,034 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $64,000 | Between $31,000 And $59,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Pasadena, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | GCP Applied Technologies |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a research assistant and a research technician in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Cornell University |
Here are the differences between research assistants' and research technicians' demographics:
| Research Assistant | Research Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% | Male, 49.3% Female, 50.7% |
| 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, 12.0% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 16.5% White, 49.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 6% |