Research group director vs researcher

The differences between research group directors and researchers 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 group director and a researcher. Additionally, a research group director has an average salary of $97,758, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.

The top three skills for a research group director include research projects, R and market research. The most important skills for a researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.

Research group director vs researcher overview

	Research Group Director	Researcher
Yearly salary	$97,758	$67,145
Hourly rate	$47.00	$32.28
Growth rate	17%	17%
Number of jobs	60,130	30,498
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Research group director vs researcher salary

Research group directors and researchers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Group Director	Researcher
Average salary	$97,758	$67,145
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $160,000	Between $37,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	-	Newark, NJ
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Renaissance Learning
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between research group director and researcher education

There are a few differences between a research group director and a researcher in terms of educational background:

	Research Group Director	Researcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Chemistry	Biology
Most common college	Duke University	University of Southern California

Research group director vs researcher demographics

Here are the differences between research group directors' and researchers' demographics:

	Research Group Director	Researcher
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 56.5% Female, 43.5%	Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 26.3% White, 53.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%	Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research group director and researcher duties and responsibilities

Research group director example responsibilities.

Lead social path-to-purchase study, incorporating social media analytics into insight community to identify spectrum of social engagement among customers.
Develop a license plate recognition and tracking algorithm using MATLAB.
Design a moving JPEG hardware accelerator using MATLAB and Simulink.
Develop and modify Linux device drivers for use on main controller platform.
Present results, observations and future plans via PowerPoint to the research class
Research into novel method for production of gold nanoparticles with tailorable size and shape.

Researcher example responsibilities.

Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
Perform cellular assays, DNA extractions, PCR, and sequencing to identify cellulase- producing soil bacteria.
Implement data visualization tools by Java.
Present research findings to select professors and professionals at scholar conferences.
Master techniques in biomedical science research methods.
Collaborate with doctorates in the field of immunology.

Research group director vs researcher skills

Common research group director skills

Research Projects, 48%
R, 18%
Market Research, 6%
Laboratory Procedures, 6%
Clinical Trials, 5%
MATLAB, 5%

Common researcher skills

Python, 12%
Lab Equipment, 9%
C++, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
Data Collection, 4%
R, 4%

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Research Group Director
Research Group Director vs Researcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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