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The differences between research specialists and research consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a research specialist and a research consultant. Additionally, a research consultant has an average salary of $83,492, which is higher than the $52,662 average annual salary of a research specialist.
The top three skills for a research specialist include data collection, patients and research projects. The most important skills for a research consultant are data collection, medicaid, and business development.
| Research Specialist | Research Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $52,662 | $83,492 |
| Hourly rate | $25.32 | $40.14 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 79,341 | 61,865 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
In a laboratory setting, a research specialist's responsibilities primarily revolve around conducting thorough research and analysis, producing extensive detailed reports, reviewing results, and coordinating with senior researchers and other laboratory personnel to ensure the accuracy of results. Furthermore, a research specialist may contribute their expertise to other publications and articles, train or supervise new researchers, and implement all laboratory guidelines and safety regulations at all times.
A research consultant is an individual who is responsible for collecting and analyzing multiple types of data across a variety of formats and present research reports for research and analytics companies, public institutions, and private businesses. Research consultants are required to design research strategies to complete the needs of research projects as well as create a basic plan of action for finding data. They may use online resources, phone surveys, and other data-collection methods to find and collect data. Research consultants must also assign investigative teams to verify and double-check the collected data.
Research specialists and research consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Specialist | Research Consultant | |
| Average salary | $52,662 | $83,492 |
| Salary range | Between $35,000 And $77,000 | Between $60,000 And $115,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New York |
| Best paying company | Novartis | Microsoft |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Education |
There are a few differences between a research specialist and a research consultant in terms of educational background:
| Research Specialist | Research Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between research specialists' and research consultants' demographics:
| Research Specialist | Research Consultant | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.0% Female, 62.0% | Male, 48.2% Female, 51.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.1% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 14.0% White, 65.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |