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The differences between research consultants and senior research associates 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 consultant, becoming a senior research associate takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a research consultant has an average salary of $83,492, which is higher than the $72,618 average annual salary of a senior research associate.
The top three skills for a research consultant include data collection, medicaid and business development. The most important skills for a senior research associate are patients, data analysis, and CRISPR.
| Research Consultant | Senior Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $83,492 | $72,618 |
| Hourly rate | $40.14 | $34.91 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 61,865 | 58,903 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
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.
A Senior Research Associate works closely with research team members to implement research ideas. They diagnose, solve system/software problems, and install application software according to research needs.
Research consultants and senior research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Consultant | Senior Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $83,492 | $72,618 |
| Salary range | Between $60,000 And $115,000 | Between $51,000 And $102,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New York | Washington |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Education | Government |
There are a few differences between a research consultant and a senior research associate in terms of educational background:
| Research Consultant | Senior Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 59% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between research consultants' and senior research associates' demographics:
| Research Consultant | Senior Research Associate | |
| Average age | 37 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8% | Male, 53.6% Female, 46.4% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 2.5% Unknown, 7.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 13.4% White, 62.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 9% |