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The differences between research associates 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 associate, becoming a research specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a research associate has an average salary of $60,166, which is higher than the $52,662 average annual salary of a research specialist.
The top three skills for a research associate include patients, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for a research specialist are data collection, patients, and research projects.
| Research Associate | Research Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $60,166 | $52,662 |
| Hourly rate | $28.93 | $25.32 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 63,884 | 79,341 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 6 |
A research associate is responsible for assisting the research team, organizing and interpreting findings, and verifying information before presenting the study to the board. Research associates duties also include gathering and comparing data from multiple sources, analyzing the current industry trends, creating draft outlines for reports, collecting individual contacts for interview purposes, and helping with the development of research procedures. A research associate must have excellent time-management skills and ability to multi-task, especially on meeting strict deadlines and conducting studies.
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 associates and research specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Associate | Research Specialist | |
| Average salary | $60,166 | $52,662 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $87,000 | Between $35,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | Worcester, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Washington |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Novartis |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research associate and a research specialist in terms of educational background:
| Research Associate | Research Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 63% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Biology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between research associates' and research specialists' demographics:
| Research Associate | Research Specialist | |
| Average age | 38 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.8% Female, 49.2% | Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.6% White, 52.6% 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% |