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The differences between research team members and research leaders 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 member and a research leader. Additionally, a research leader has an average salary of $107,345, which is higher than the $28,204 average annual salary of a research team member.
The top three skills for a research team member include windows, PET and literature reviews. The most important skills for a research leader are data collection, data analysis, and market research.
| Research Team Member | Research Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $28,204 | $107,345 |
| Hourly rate | $13.56 | $51.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 199,149 | 77,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A research team member performs various tasks to carry out research projects. Although the extent of their responsibilities depends on their designated roles, it typically includes understanding the research project's purpose and requirements, traveling to different locations, gathering and analyzing data, conducting interviews, and documenting procedures through audio records, photos, and videos. Moreover, a research team member must maintain an active communication line with co-members and leaders, all while adhering to the company or team's standards and regulations.
Research Leaders are academicians who oversee a group of researchers conducting a study. They are usually well-known researchers in their field of study or area of interest. They manage the group throughout the whole research process. They may orient them at the start of the engagement to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Research Leaders direct the group in identifying the resources needed, finding these resources, and eventually managing them. They also guide the team in conducting the research properly by providing strategic direction, sharing techniques, and helping them analyze the gathered data. With their experience in the field, Research Leaders usually provide frameworks that the team may work within.
Research team members and research leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Team Member | Research Leader | |
| Average salary | $28,204 | $107,345 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $40,000 | Between $64,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | Union, NJ | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a research team member and a research leader in terms of educational background:
| Research Team Member | Research Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 73% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Maryland - College Park | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between research team members' and research leaders' demographics:
| Research Team Member | Research Leader | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.5% Female, 55.5% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |