Post job

Research consultant vs research manager

The differences between research consultants and research managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a research consultant and a research manager. Additionally, a research consultant has an average salary of $83,492, which is higher than the $82,894 average annual salary of a research manager.

The top three skills for a research consultant include data collection, medicaid and business development. The most important skills for a research manager are market research, analytics, and quantitative research.

Research consultant vs research manager overview

Research ConsultantResearch Manager
Yearly salary$83,492$82,894
Hourly rate$40.14$39.85
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs61,86548,867
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Average age3737
Years of experience66

What does a research consultant do?

A research consultant is an individual who is responsible for collecting and analyzing multiple types of data across a variety of formats and present research reports for research and analytics companies, public institutions, and private businesses. Research consultants are required to design research strategies to complete the needs of research projects as well as create a basic plan of action for finding data. They may use online resources, phone surveys, and other data-collection methods to find and collect data. Research consultants must also assign investigative teams to verify and double-check the collected data.

What does a research manager do?

A Research Manager performs research, data collection, and economic, statistical, and demographic analysis. They also determine and implement research and development strategies, policies, and plans.

Research consultant vs research manager salary

Research consultants and research managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Research ConsultantResearch Manager
Average salary$83,492$82,894
Salary rangeBetween $60,000 And $115,000Between $51,000 And $133,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYSan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateNew YorkWashington
Best paying companyMicrosoftMeta
Best paying industryEducationFinance

Differences between research consultant and research manager education

There are a few differences between a research consultant and a research manager in terms of educational background:

Research ConsultantResearch Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 61%Bachelor's Degree, 69%
Most common majorPsychologyBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of GeorgiaUniversity of Georgia

Research consultant vs research manager demographics

Here are the differences between research consultants' and research managers' demographics:

Research ConsultantResearch Manager
Average age3737
Gender ratioMale, 48.2% Female, 51.8%Male, 47.9% Female, 52.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.0% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 13.1% White, 65.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage10%10%

Differences between research consultant and research manager duties and responsibilities

Research consultant example responsibilities.

  • Lead research team in IRB transition from traditional hard copy submission to electronic submission.
  • Develop an SQL solution to automate performance attribution reports.
  • Attain and practice medical insurance information rapidly and correctly; including main carriers and Medicaid.
  • Design and oversee implementation of decision-analytic models and database analyses using SAS, SPSS, and STATA.
  • Pull, merge data by using SAS, and assign tags.
  • Isolate, purify and quantify DNA from human blood.
  • Show more

Research manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage IRB submissions and complete all IRB requirements in conjunction with the HICCC s regulatory department.
  • Lead social path-to-purchase study, incorporating social media analytics into insight community to identify spectrum of social engagement among customers.
  • Conduct QA for time and testing of products.
  • Implement document data extraction through online web-base research and sources.
  • Direct analytical and logistician research teams to produce in-depth studies and analyses on logistics, maintenance and transportation issues.
  • Coordinate communications with the IRB, NIH and other institutional entities that fund, support, collaborate and regulate research.
  • Show more

Research consultant vs research manager skills

Common research consultant skills
  • Data Collection, 12%
  • Medicaid, 8%
  • Business Development, 6%
  • Study Design, 5%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • Survey Design, 5%
Common research manager skills
  • Market Research, 8%
  • Analytics, 6%
  • Quantitative Research, 6%
  • Data Analysis, 5%
  • Patients, 5%
  • Data Collection, 4%

Browse business and financial jobs