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The differences between research engineers and postdoctoral scholars 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 engineer, becoming a postdoctoral scholar takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research engineer has an average salary of $96,945, which is higher than the $57,587 average annual salary of a postdoctoral scholar.
The top three skills for a research engineer include python, java and software development. The most important skills for a postdoctoral scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Research Engineer | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $96,945 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $46.61 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 136,763 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Research Engineers are responsible for a wide range of duties, including researching and developing new technologies and prototypes, and finding solutions to improve techniques, procedures, and technologies.
A Postdoctoral Scholar is responsible for supporting an educational research group to conduct studies and gather relevant data to support study claims and scientific evidence. They review initial findings, perform field investigations, and interview the target respondents for data and statistical analysis. They also coordinate with the whole team for efficient research methods, ensuring adherence to budget limitations and required timetables. A Postdoctoral Scholar must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to document reports and discuss results with the research team.
Research engineers and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Engineer | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $96,945 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $138,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | The Citadel | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Start-up | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research engineer and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Research Engineer | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Mechanical Engineering | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Georgia Institute of Technology | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research engineers' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Research Engineer | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 16.9% White, 67.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 8% |