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The differences between research professors 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 professor and a postdoctoral research associate. Additionally, a research professor has an average salary of $119,503, which is higher than the $52,785 average annual salary of a postdoctoral research associate.
The top three skills for a research professor include research projects, public health and data collection. The most important skills for a postdoctoral research associate are python, research projects, and chemistry.
| Research Professor | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $119,503 | $52,785 |
| Hourly rate | $57.45 | $25.38 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,502 | 59,377 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Research professors lead the research culture in their departments. In some cases, they will do less undergraduate teaching and focus more on teaching post-graduates. They also teach students at higher education institutions. They focus on their research activities that include presenting research findings at conferences worldwide. They are involved in initiatives working with private sectors and other public sector bodies. Part of their duties includes marking assessed work, attending planning meetings to ensure cross-departmental parity, and doing administrative tasks within the department.
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 professors and postdoctoral research associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Professor | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average salary | $119,503 | $52,785 |
| Salary range | Between $67,000 And $212,000 | Between $38,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Pasadena, CA | Memphis, TN |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | New York University | Argonne National Laboratory |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a research professor and a postdoctoral research associate in terms of educational background:
| Research Professor | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Doctoral Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Duke University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research professors' and postdoctoral research associates' demographics:
| Research Professor | Postdoctoral Research Associate | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 62.4% Female, 37.6% | Male, 65.7% Female, 34.3% |
| Race ratio | 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% | 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% |