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The differences between research staff members and professional research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a research staff member, becoming a professional research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a research staff member has an average salary of $110,035, which is higher than the $58,202 average annual salary of a professional research assistant.
The top three skills for a research staff member include python, machine learning and research projects. The most important skills for a professional research assistant are research projects, data collection, and patients.
| Research Staff Member | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $110,035 | $58,202 |
| Hourly rate | $52.90 | $27.98 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 118,661 | 91,813 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A Research Staff Member is a part of the research team who will assist in the entire research project. The staff member will work on various research stages and assist in collating information from different sources. One of the research staff members' responsibilities is to understand all facets of conducting research, get all government policies regarding the particular topic in research, and ensure that all procedures are legal and ethical. The research staff member is a broad term for a person part of a research team and is often given specific tasks when one is officially part of the team.
A professional research assistant works under the supervision of primary researchers leading research projects. Research assistants help the main researchers in different tasks supporting research activities. These tasks vary based on research conducted and their field. The assistants prepare the interview questions and provide a results summary. They respond to emails, participate in project meetings, and prepare progress reports. Skills necessary for this job include communication skills, critical thinking, attention to detail, scheduling, and planning.
Research staff members and professional research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Staff Member | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $110,035 | $58,202 |
| Salary range | Between $77,000 And $156,000 | Between $38,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | PARC | Siemens |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a research staff member and a professional research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Research Staff Member | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Electrical Engineering | Biology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between research staff members' and professional research assistants' demographics:
| Research Staff Member | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 68.9% Female, 31.1% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.5% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 9.8% Asian, 26.2% White, 53.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |