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The differences between research fellows and assistant professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a research fellow and an assistant professor. Additionally, an assistant professor has an average salary of $87,099, which is higher than the $53,823 average annual salary of a research fellow.
The top three skills for a research fellow include patients, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for an assistant professor are patients, public health, and pediatrics.
| Research Fellow | Assistant Professor | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $87,099 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $41.87 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 30,531 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 41 | 46 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
An assistant professor is an entry-level position who teaches in a university, conducts research, and assists senior professors. Assistant professors supervise undergraduate and graduate students at the same time provide professors and department heads with feedback on the progress of their students. To be effective in teaching and mentoring students, assistant professors must possess strong communication skills with advanced knowledge of their field. They must also have a Ph. D degree in the relevant academic discipline as well as teaching experience in a university setting.
Research fellows and assistant professors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Assistant Professor | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $87,099 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $50,000 And $151,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | UT Medical Group, Inc. |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Government |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and an assistant professor in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Assistant Professor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Nursing |
| Most common college | Duke University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between research fellows' and assistant professors' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Assistant Professor | |
| Average age | 41 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 55.5% Female, 44.5% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 17.4% White, 62.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 16% |