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The differences between research fellows and postdoctoral research 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 research associate. Additionally, a research fellow has an average salary of $53,823, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.
The top three skills for a research fellow include patients, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $52,785 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $25.38 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 59,377 |
| 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 research associate is responsible for assisting the educational institution's research department, writing research reports, analyzing research methods, and collecting information and related studies to support the research claims. Postdoctoral research associates must have excellent communication skills, both oral and written, reporting research updates to the research head, performing adjustments as needed, and gaining more expertise on the subject by brainstorming and discussing strategic procedures for the study. They may also conduct field investigation or coordinate with other institutions for additional reference, depending on the research's scope and limitation.
Research fellows and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $52,785 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Memphis, TN |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Professional |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Research 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 research associates' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% |
| 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, 5.8% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.9% Asian, 38.1% White, 43.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |