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The differences between research clerks and assistant research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a research clerk, becoming an assistant research scientist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant research scientist has an average salary of $62,780, which is higher than the $32,652 average annual salary of a research clerk.
The top three skills for a research clerk include telephone inquiries, customer accounts and financial institutions. The most important skills for an assistant research scientist are research projects, data collection, and data analysis.
| Research Clerk | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $32,652 | $62,780 |
| Hourly rate | $15.70 | $30.18 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 113,814 | 88,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 51 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A research clerk executes and performs clerical activities in the research department. They also research and verify data useful for business clients as well as conducting research on client products or services to improvise business opportunities. Their duties and responsibilities also include assigning topics to other team members, verifying data before submission, and ensuring research does not violate best practices.
An Assistant Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
Research clerks and assistant research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Clerk | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $32,652 | $62,780 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $39,000 | Between $43,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | Minneapolis, MN | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | Novant Health | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Government | Education |
There are a few differences between a research clerk and an assistant research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Research Clerk | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 42% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Business | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between research clerks' and assistant research scientists' demographics:
| Research Clerk | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 51 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.9% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.7% Asian, 6.6% White, 67.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 8% |