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The differences between research assistants and technicians 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 technician. Additionally, a research assistant has an average salary of $42,896, which is higher than the $38,045 average annual salary of a technician.
The top three skills for a research assistant include patients, lab equipment and data collection. The most important skills for a technician are patients, customer service, and patient care.
| Research Assistant | Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $42,896 | $38,045 |
| Hourly rate | $20.62 | $18.29 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 1% |
| Number of jobs | 51,080 | 596,842 |
| Job satisfaction | 5 | 2 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| 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.
Technicians are skilled professionals who primarily work with technology in different industries. They are knowledgeable about the technical aspects of the various items they work with. They are usually working with electricity or with technological advancements. Technicians may be assigned to do the construction of equipment or materials related to their field of study. They may also be assigned to conduct diagnostics and other maintenance activities to ensure that the equipment works properly. Technicians may also be required to conduct basic repairs in case of problems. It is important that technicians have good analytical skills and decision-making skills.
Research assistants and technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant | Technician | |
| Average salary | $42,896 | $38,045 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $64,000 | Between $24,000 And $58,000 |
| Highest paying City | New Brunswick, NJ | San Jose, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Telecommunication |
There are a few differences between a research assistant and a technician in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant | Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 32% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Business |
| Most common college | Harvard University | - |
Here are the differences between research assistants' and technicians' demographics:
| Research Assistant | Technician | |
| Average age | 38 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% | Male, 75.2% Female, 24.8% |
| 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, 9.4% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.4% Asian, 4.9% White, 61.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 2% |