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The differences between research biologists and research fellows can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-8 years to become a research biologist, becoming a research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research biologist has an average salary of $69,719, which is higher than the $53,823 average annual salary of a research fellow.
The top three skills for a research biologist include laboratory equipment, research projects and molecular biology. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Research Biologist | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $69,719 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $33.52 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 52,799 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 8 | 4 |
A research biologist is a scientist who works in the outdoors, laboratories, and offices to study the natural elements so that they can better understand how living organisms work. Research biologists must design experiments for various research projects conducted under standard operating procedures and good laboratory practice guidelines. They are required to supervise lab technicians and veterinary medicine students in their respective research projects and studies. Research biologists must also provide support for clinical research protocols through laboratory procedures and protocols.
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
Research biologists and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Biologist | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $69,719 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $50,000 And $96,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Juneau, AK | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Eli Lilly and Company | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Manufacturing | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a research biologist and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Research Biologist | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research biologists' and research fellows' demographics:
| Research Biologist | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 40 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.9% Female, 55.1% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 15.7% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 8% |