Research volunteer vs research scientist

The differences between research volunteers and research scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a research volunteer, becoming a research scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, which is higher than the $54,668 average annual salary of a research volunteer.

The top three skills for a research volunteer include lab procedures, cell culture and laboratory techniques. The most important skills for a research scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.

Research volunteer vs research scientist overview

	Research Volunteer	Research Scientist
Yearly salary	$54,668	$89,998
Hourly rate	$26.28	$43.27
Growth rate	19%	17%
Number of jobs	50,334	93,013
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Average age	38	41
Years of experience	2	4

Research volunteer vs research scientist salary

Research volunteers and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Research Volunteer	Research Scientist
Average salary	$54,668	$89,998
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $85,000	Between $58,000 And $137,000
Highest paying City	-	Menlo Park, CA
Highest paying state	-	California
Best paying company	-	Lyft
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between research volunteer and research scientist education

There are a few differences between a research volunteer and a research scientist in terms of educational background:

	Research Volunteer	Research Scientist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 52%
Most common major	Biology	Chemistry
Most common college	Harvard University	Duke University

Research volunteer vs research scientist demographics

Here are the differences between research volunteers' and research scientists' demographics:

	Research Volunteer	Research Scientist
Average age	38	41
Gender ratio	Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3%	Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research volunteer and research scientist duties and responsibilities

Research volunteer example responsibilities.

Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
Assist in monitoring MRI scans.
Assist in cloning and expression for RNA research.
Analyze cell lysates and purify proteins by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis.
Design a PowerPoint presentation to teach senior adults about email accounts.
Assist with laboratory experiments, collect data and DNA samples, contribute to lab protocols.

Research scientist example responsibilities.

Manage the development of innovative visualization and concept mapping of contest environment analysis challenges and analyst skill sets.
Manage sample inventory via in-house laboratory information management system (LIMS) and implement additional systems for sample and chemical organization.
Used real-time PCR and DNA sequencing to troubleshoot and validate SNP base and gene expression assays.
Prepare clear technical presentations to NIH department heads in annual seminars.
Analyze chromatin dynamics during primordial germ cell specification with a CRISPR mouse model.
Identify impurities in final drug by LCMS and reject impurities with ethanol/water swish.

Research volunteer vs research scientist skills

Common research volunteer skills

Lab Procedures, 11%
Cell Culture, 8%
Laboratory Techniques, 7%
Data Collection, 6%
R, 4%
RT-PCR, 4%

Common research scientist skills

Python, 11%
Data Analysis, 6%
Patients, 6%
C++, 6%
Research Projects, 6%
Chemistry, 5%

Research Volunteer vs. similar jobs

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Research Volunteer
Research Volunteer vs Research Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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