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The differences between research coordinators and research fellows 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 coordinator, becoming a research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research fellow has an average salary of $53,823, which is higher than the $48,974 average annual salary of a research coordinator.
The top three skills for a research coordinator include patients, informed consent and data collection. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Research Coordinator | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $48,974 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $23.55 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 65,406 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A research coordinator is responsible for assisting the development of research data from clinical trials and laboratory investigations under the supervision of a lead researcher or a research supervisor. In some cases, research coordinators conduct field investigations and analyze existing research materials upon understanding the scope and limitations of the study. They enter their findings and useful resources on the research database for reference to the research team. A research coordinator must have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, especially on gathering data and coordinating with other researchers for the progress and updates of the study.
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 coordinators and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Coordinator | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $48,974 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $68,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bothell, WA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | BNP Paribas | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a research coordinator and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Research Coordinator | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research coordinators' and research fellows' demographics:
| Research Coordinator | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 44 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 29.1% Female, 70.9% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 2.6% Unknown, 7.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.1% Asian, 10.2% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | 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 | 9% | 8% |