Research investigator demographics and statistics in the US
Research investigator demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research investigator demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research investigator estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about research investigators after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 21,745 research investigators currently employed in the United States.
- 47.4% of all research investigators are women, while 52.6% are men.
- The average research investigator age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research investigators is White (53.2%), followed by Asian (26.3%), Hispanic or Latino (9.7%) and Black or African American (6.5%).
- Research investigators are most in-demand in Houston, TX.
- The pharmaceutical industry is the highest-paying for research investigators.
- 8% of all research investigators are LGBT.
On this page
Research investigator demographics by:
Research investigator gender statistics
47.4% of research investigators are women and 52.6% of research investigators are men.
- Male, 52.6%
- Female, 47.4%
Research investigator gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 52.6% |
| Female | 47.4% |
Research investigator gender pay gap
Women earn $1.00 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$77,302
Female income
$77,671
Research investigator gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research investigator positions over time. Currently, 47.4% of research investigators are female.
Research investigator gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.01% | 42.99% |
| 2011 | 53.39% | 46.61% |
| 2012 | 59.69% | 40.31% |
| 2013 | 54.96% | 45.04% |
| 2014 | 56.00% | 44.00% |
| 2015 | 56.88% | 43.12% |
| 2016 | 52.28% | 47.72% |
| 2017 | 54.66% | 45.34% |
| 2018 | 53.29% | 46.71% |
| 2019 | 51.52% | 48.48% |
| 2020 | 51.32% | 48.68% |
| 2021 | 52.60% | 47.40% |
Research investigator related jobs gender ratio
We compared research investigators with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, procurement forester and field agronomist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Animal Behaviorist | 18% | 82% |
| Chronic Disease Epidemiologist | 25% | 75% |
| Collector Of Aquarium Specimens | 27% | 73% |
| Research Investigator | 53% | 47% |
| Forestry Consultant | 93% | 7% |
| Field Agronomist | 94% | 6% |
| Procurement Forester | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Research investigator demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research investigators is White, which makes up 53.2% of all research investigators. Comparatively, 26.3% of research investigators are Asian and 9.7% of research investigators are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 53.2%
- Asian, 26.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.7%
- Black or African American, 6.5%
- Unknown, 4.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Research investigator race
| Research investigator race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 53.2% |
| Asian | 26.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.7% |
| Black or African American | 6.5% |
| Unknown | 4.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Research investigator race and ethnicity over time
See how research investigator racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research investigator race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 56.49% | 5.30% | 28.86% | 6.77% |
| 2011 | 55.24% | 5.73% | 29.34% | 7.42% |
| 2012 | 56.05% | 5.52% | 28.50% | 7.17% |
| 2013 | 56.64% | 5.62% | 27.11% | 7.91% |
| 2014 | 56.32% | 5.96% | 27.71% | 6.93% |
| 2015 | 56.45% | 5.40% | 28.50% | 6.88% |
| 2016 | 55.81% | 5.19% | 27.30% | 9.07% |
| 2017 | 55.94% | 6.06% | 26.80% | 7.99% |
| 2018 | 55.05% | 5.81% | 27.66% | 8.12% |
| 2019 | 56.44% | 5.46% | 26.86% | 8.50% |
| 2020 | 54.57% | 5.07% | 27.15% | 9.40% |
| 2021 | 53.25% | 6.46% | 26.31% | 9.71% |
Research investigator wage gap by race
According to our data, white research investigators have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino research investigators have the lowest average salary at $75,071.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $76,971 |
| White | $78,793 |
| Black or African American | $77,320 |
| Asian | $78,410 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $75,071 |
Average research investigator age
See how the average age of research investigators varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research investigator age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 40 | 34 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 38.5 | 40 |
| Asian | 40 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 37 | 36 |
Research investigator age breakdown
The average age of research investigators is 40+ years years old, representing 47% of the research investigator population.
Research investigator age breakdown
| Research Investigator Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 47% |
| 30-40 years | 39% |
| 20-30 years | 14% |
Research investigator educational attainment
The most common degree for research investigators is bachelor's degree, with 54% of research investigators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are doctoral degree degree at 19% and doctoral degree degree at 17%.
- Bachelor's, 54%
- Doctorate, 19%
- Master's, 17%
- Associate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Research investigators by degree level
| Research investigator degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 54% |
| Doctorate | 19% |
| Master's | 17% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Research investigator jobs you might like
Research investigator wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research investigators with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $81,087 annually. With a Master's degree, research investigators earn a median annual income of $76,786 compared to $75,119 for research investigators with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $76,786 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $75,119 |
| Doctorate Degree | $81,087 |
Research investigator employment statistics
Most research investigators work for a private in the education industry.
Company size where research investigators work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research investigators work.
Research investigator jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 24% |
Research investigator jobs by company type
Employees with the research investigator job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research investigators prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Research investigator jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 29% |
| Public | 26% |
| Private | 42% |
| Government | 3% |
Research investigator jobs by industry
The most common industries for research investigators are education, health care and professional.
Research investigator industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 25% |
| Health Care | 15% |
| Professional | 12% |
| Pharmaceutical | 8% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Finance | 6% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Media | 2% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Government | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Retail | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Research investigator turnover and employment statistics
Research investigator unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research investigators between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research investigator unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research investigator unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 2.36% |
| 2011 | 2.60% |
| 2012 | 3.20% |
| 2013 | 2.82% |
| 2014 | 2.34% |
| 2015 | 2.18% |
| 2016 | 2.71% |
| 2017 | 2.30% |
| 2018 | 2.40% |
| 2019 | 1.58% |
| 2020 | 2.14% |
| 2021 | 1.42% |
Average research investigator tenure
The average research investigator stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,254 research investigators resumes in Zippia's database.
Research investigator tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 19% |
| 1-2 years | 34% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 8% |
Research investigator LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research investigators that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 18,942 |
| Research Investigator | 8.45% | - |
| Aquatic Scientist | 9.74% | 41,726 |
| Beef Cattle Nutritionist | 19.06% | 311 |
Similar research investigator jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Conservation Specialist | 8.40% | 18,942 |
| Aquatic Scientist | 9.74% | 41,726 |
| Beef Cattle Nutritionist | 19.06% | 311 |
Foreign languages spoken by research investigators
The most common foreign language among research investigators is Spanish at 47.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.9% and Korean is the third-most popular at 6.9%.
- Spanish, 47.2%
- French, 6.9%
- Korean, 6.9%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- Portuguese, 4.2%
- Other, 29.2%
Research investigator languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.2% |
| French | 6.9% |
| Korean | 6.9% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| Portuguese | 4.2% |
| Other | 29.2% |
