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The differences between research assistant professors and senior research fellows 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 professor, becoming a senior research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research assistant professor has an average salary of $73,455, which is higher than the $62,129 average annual salary of a senior research fellow.
The top three skills for a research assistant professor include research projects, biomedical and research program. The most important skills for a senior research fellow are python, research projects, and data analysis.
| Research Assistant Professor | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $73,455 | $62,129 |
| Hourly rate | $35.31 | $29.87 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 62,395 | 53,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A research assistant professor works part-time at colleges or universities where they focus on conducting research and extensive studies. They typically work under the supervision and directives of a professor and perform support tasks such as gathering and analyzing samples through different scientific procedures, completing interviews and surveys, performing experiments and assessments, maintaining records, and handling calls and other forms of correspondence. Additionally, a research assistant professor may also teach undergraduates and participate in preparing activities and curriculum materials.
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Research assistant professors and senior research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Assistant Professor | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $73,455 | $62,129 |
| Salary range | Between $52,000 And $102,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Washington, DC | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Stanford University | |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a research assistant professor and a senior research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Research Assistant Professor | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Doctoral Degree, 44% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research assistant professors' and senior research fellows' demographics:
| Research Assistant Professor | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.9% Female, 37.1% | Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |