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The differences between research assistants and researchers 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 researcher takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a researcher has an average salary of $67,145, 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 researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.
| Research Assistant | Researcher | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $67,145 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $32.28 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 51,080 | 30,498 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| 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 researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
Research assistants and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant | Researcher | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $67,145 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $64,000 | Between $37,000 And $119,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Renaissance Learning |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a research assistant and a researcher in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant | Researcher | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 71% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between research assistants' and researchers' demographics:
| Research Assistant | Researcher | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |