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The differences between research team leaders and research directors 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 team leader and a research director. Additionally, a research director has an average salary of $108,875, which is higher than the $100,872 average annual salary of a research team leader.
The top three skills for a research team leader include data analysis, data collection and R. The most important skills for a research director are research projects, data collection, and healthcare.
| Research Team Leader | Research Director | |
| Yearly salary | $100,872 | $108,875 |
| Hourly rate | $48.50 | $52.34 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 117,575 | 51,298 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A research team leader assists the project directors in defining the objectives, strategies, responsibilities, and tasks for the team members. They also guarantee that all the research is done correctly and promptly to ensure objectives are met. They also ensure all the activities are limited to the annual or project budget.
Research Directors oversee the research initiatives of the company. They are usually deployed in the academe, research facilities, or companies with research and development departments. They set research goals aligned with the company's vision. They also ensure that all research activities are significant and would have an impact. They usually aim to complete research work that would contribute to the advancement of their field. Research Directors provide strategic direction on how to complete their research goals. They guide their team of researchers to work more efficiently and more productively. They also lead the team in networking activities.
Research team leaders and research directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Team Leader | Research Director | |
| Average salary | $100,872 | $108,875 |
| Salary range | Between $65,000 And $156,000 | Between $68,000 And $171,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | Washington |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Professional | Technology |
There are a few differences between a research team leader and a research director in terms of educational background:
| Research Team Leader | Research Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | University of Georgia |
Here are the differences between research team leaders' and research directors' demographics:
| Research Team Leader | Research Director | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 54.2% Female, 45.8% | Male, 59.0% Female, 41.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.2% Asian, 14.1% White, 64.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 5.0% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 12.0% Asian, 12.5% White, 65.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |