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The differences between research scholars and research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a research scholar and a research assistant. Additionally, a research scholar has an average salary of $58,047, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for a research scholar include analyze data, C++ and original research. The most important skills for a research assistant are patients, lab equipment, and data collection.
| Research Scholar | Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $58,047 | $42,896 |
| Hourly rate | $27.91 | $20.62 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 51,721 | 51,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Research scholars are college students who perform on projects in a particular field for a university or organization. Generally, they work with professors and other professionals in the field of study and focus on discovering new information that can be produced in trade or academic journals. Also, they pursue intellectual and academic activities as well as may engaged in educating other researchers. They are usually paid a stipend for a set duration of time, and some may work outside the university.
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
Research scholars and research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Scholar | Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $58,047 | $42,896 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $92,000 | Between $28,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a research scholar and a research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Research Scholar | Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 55% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Psychology |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between research scholars' and research assistants' demographics:
| Research Scholar | Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.8% Female, 48.2% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.3% Asian, 16.8% White, 52.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 16.9% White, 52.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |