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The differences between research writers and content writers 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 writer and a content writer. Additionally, a content writer has an average salary of $58,918, which is higher than the $50,741 average annual salary of a research writer.
The top three skills for a research writer include research topics, press releases and editorials. The most important skills for a content writer are digital marketing, wordpress, and web content.
| Research Writer | Content Writer | |
| Yearly salary | $50,741 | $58,918 |
| Hourly rate | $24.39 | $28.33 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 60,595 | 19,621 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Research writers are professionals who conduct extensive research by taking complex information and then explaining it in lay terminology. These writers are required to conduct extensive research on various topics based on the requests of their clients to write keyword articles for search engine optimization (SEO). They must work with a wide variety of clients who specialize in web content to complete strategic research and content creation projects. Research writers must also manage research projects for companies, local and overseas.
The job of content writers is to create the best possible written or visual content ranging from blog posts to press releases. They produce the content for various types of websites, including social networks, news aggregators, and e-commerce sites. The job of content writers is not limited to writing, but also ensuring that the content connects or is relevant to the website pages. They are expected to set the tone of the website and revise the content upon customers' or clients' requests. They are also responsible for assisting in the creation of style guides.
Research writers and content writers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Writer | Content Writer | |
| Average salary | $50,741 | $58,918 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $80,000 | Between $40,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brookline, MA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | California |
| Best paying company | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Cisco |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a research writer and a content writer in terms of educational background:
| Research Writer | Content Writer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 77% |
| Most common major | English | English |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between research writers' and content writers' demographics:
| Research Writer | Content Writer | |
| Average age | 46 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 39.8% Female, 60.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.6% Asian, 8.6% White, 72.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.0% White, 75.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 16% |