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The differences between research fellows and postdoctoral associates 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 a postdoctoral associate. Additionally, a postdoctoral associate has an average salary of $54,350, 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 a postdoctoral associate are patients, TIP, and data analysis.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $54,350 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $26.13 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 18,093 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| 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.
A postdoctoral associate is responsible for researching to support scientific claims and theories by collecting evidence and information to answer scientific questions. Postdoctoral associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, to interact with people and document investigation findings. They also utilize laboratory tools and equipment for scientific researches, conduct field investigations, and interview participants. A postdoctoral associate designs comprehensive research models to discuss results with the panel and the team efficiently and accurately.
Research fellows and postdoctoral associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $54,350 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $39,000 And $74,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Berkeley, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Maine |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Education |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and a postdoctoral associate in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research fellows' and postdoctoral associates' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 63.2% Female, 36.8% |
| 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, 5.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 39.4% White, 42.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |