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The differences between research psychologists and research fellows can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a research psychologist, becoming a research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research psychologist has an average salary of $90,440, which is higher than the $53,823 average annual salary of a research fellow.
The top three skills for a research psychologist include research projects, research studies and technical reports. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Research Psychologist | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $90,440 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $43.48 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 58,163 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Research psychologists are psychology professionals who examine questions and test hypotheses by using scientific methods to understand human thought and behavior. These psychologists must conduct experiments in controlled lab settings as well as out in the field to examine the social behavior of people living in a rural town. They must analyze data and prepare reports to be presented professionally to program managers and administrators. Research psychologists must also supervise staff and interns who are involved in treating and diagnosing mental health.
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.
Research psychologists and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Psychologist | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $90,440 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $63,000 And $128,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Parexel International | McKinsey & Company Inc |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a research psychologist and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Research Psychologist | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 54% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between research psychologists' and research fellows' demographics:
| Research Psychologist | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 43 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.7% Female, 49.3% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 3.4% Hispanic or Latino, 10.4% Asian, 3.3% White, 76.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 8% |