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The differences between research fellows and postdoctoral scholars 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 scholar. Additionally, a postdoctoral scholar has an average salary of $57,587, 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 scholar are chemistry, python, and patients.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $57,587 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $27.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 18,983 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| 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 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 fellows and postdoctoral scholars have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $57,587 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $41,000 And $79,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | California |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and a postdoctoral scholar in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 50% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research fellows' and postdoctoral scholars' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Postdoctoral Scholar | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 53.0% Female, 47.0% |
| 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, 6.5% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |