Research volunteer vs researcher

The differences between research volunteers and researchers 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 researcher takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a researcher has an average salary of $67,145, 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 researcher are python, lab equipment, and C++.

Research volunteer vs researcher overview

	Research Volunteer	Researcher
Yearly salary	$54,668	$67,145
Hourly rate	$26.28	$32.28
Growth rate	19%	17%
Number of jobs	50,334	30,498
Job satisfaction	-	3
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Average age	38	41
Years of experience	2	4

Research volunteer vs researcher salary

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

	Research Volunteer	Researcher
Average salary	$54,668	$67,145
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $85,000	Between $37,000 And $119,000
Highest paying City	-	Newark, NJ
Highest paying state	-	Connecticut
Best paying company	-	Renaissance Learning
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between research volunteer and researcher education

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

	Research Volunteer	Researcher
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 74%	Bachelor's Degree, 71%
Most common major	Biology	Biology
Most common college	Harvard University	University of Southern California

Research volunteer vs researcher demographics

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

	Research Volunteer	Researcher
Average age	38	41
Gender ratio	Male, 38.7% Female, 61.3%	Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1%
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, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 26.4% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between research volunteer and researcher 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.

Researcher example responsibilities.

Manage social media publications to spread awareness and notifications on Facebook.
Perform cellular assays, DNA extractions, PCR, and sequencing to identify cellulase- producing soil bacteria.
Implement data visualization tools by Java.
Present research findings to select professors and professionals at scholar conferences.
Master techniques in biomedical science research methods.
Collaborate with doctorates in the field of immunology.

Research volunteer vs researcher skills

Common research volunteer skills

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

Common researcher skills

Python, 12%
Lab Equipment, 9%
C++, 8%
Data Analysis, 6%
Data Collection, 4%
R, 4%

Research Volunteer vs. similar jobs

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Research Volunteer
Research Volunteer vs Researcher

Updated January 8, 2025

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