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Research volunteer vs student research assistant

The differences between research volunteers and student research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a research volunteer and a student research assistant. Additionally, a research volunteer has an average salary of $54,668, which is higher than the $27,475 average annual salary of a student research assistant.

The top three skills for a research volunteer include lab procedures, cell culture and laboratory techniques. The most important skills for a student research assistant are lab equipment, student research, and data collection.

Research volunteer vs student research assistant overview

Research VolunteerStudent Research Assistant
Yearly salary$54,668$27,475
Hourly rate$26.28$13.21
Growth rate19%19%
Number of jobs50,33459,758
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

Research volunteer vs student research assistant salary

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

Research VolunteerStudent Research Assistant
Average salary$54,668$27,475
Salary rangeBetween $34,000 And $85,000Between $19,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City-Fairbanks, AK
Highest paying state-Massachusetts
Best paying company-Google
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between research volunteer and student research assistant education

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

Research VolunteerStudent Research Assistant
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common majorBiologyBiology
Most common collegeHarvard UniversityHarvard University

Research volunteer vs student research assistant demographics

Here are the differences between research volunteers' and student research assistants' demographics:

Research VolunteerStudent Research Assistant
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 38.7% Female, 61.3%Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9%
Race ratioBlack 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, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between research volunteer and student research assistant 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.
  • Show more

Student research assistant example responsibilities.

  • Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
  • Perform PCR amplification and electrophoresis.
  • Prepare agarose gels for electrophoresis and sequencing.
  • Perform biological experiments which provide data for further DNA analysis.
  • Provide DNA sequencing and primer support study transposition in tobacco/tomato root development.
  • Experience gain in polymer chemistry, polymer physics, material characterization, photo-polymerization techniques.
  • Show more

Research volunteer vs student research assistant skills

Common research volunteer skills
  • Lab Procedures, 11%
  • Cell Culture, 8%
  • Laboratory Techniques, 7%
  • Data Collection, 6%
  • R, 4%
  • RT-PCR, 4%
Common student research assistant skills
  • Lab Equipment, 10%
  • Student Research, 9%
  • Data Collection, 8%
  • Research Projects, 7%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 7%
  • C++, 4%

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