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The differences between research fellows and senior research fellows 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 senior research fellow. Additionally, a senior research fellow has an average salary of $62,129, 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 senior research fellow are python, research projects, and data analysis.
| Research Fellow | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $53,823 | $62,129 |
| Hourly rate | $25.88 | $29.87 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,746 | 53,535 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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.
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Research fellows and senior research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Fellow | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $53,823 | $62,129 |
| Salary range | Between $39,000 And $72,000 | Between $40,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | South San Francisco, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | - |
There are a few differences between a research fellow and a senior research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Research Fellow | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 47% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research fellows' and senior research fellows' demographics:
| Research Fellow | Senior Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% | Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9% |
| 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, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |