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The differences between research fellows and assistant research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a research fellow, becoming an assistant research scientist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, an assistant research scientist has an average salary of $62,780, 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 research scientist are research projects, data collection, and data analysis.
| Research Fellow | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $62,780 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $30.18 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 88,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
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 Research Scientist assists in planning, conducting, and analyzing various research projects. They also order and manage lab inventory, materials, and equipment.
Research fellows and assistant research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $62,780 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $43,000 And $89,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and an assistant research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 62% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between research fellows' and assistant research scientists' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Assistant Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 55.6% Female, 44.4% |
| 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, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |