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The differences between research writers and journalists 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 journalist. Additionally, a journalist has an average salary of $60,828, 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 journalist are news stories, multimedia, and story development.
| Research Writer | Journalist | |
| Yearly salary | $50,741 | $60,828 |
| Hourly rate | $24.39 | $29.24 |
| Growth rate | 6% | -10% |
| Number of jobs | 60,595 | 11,488 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.5 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| 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.
A journalist is responsible for creating written correspondence, covering various subjects as the management requires. This task involves a lot of research investigations, conducting interviews, and gathering reliable sources to verify the authenticity of data before releasing the articles on news portals and other social platforms. Journalists should have excellent communication skills, both written and oral, conveying information to the target audience with high accuracy and efficiency. They analyze opinions and testimonies, create eye-catching headlines, and ensure adherence to deadlines.
Research writers and journalists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Research Writer | Journalist | |
| Average salary | $50,741 | $60,828 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $80,000 | Between $38,000 And $95,000 |
| Highest paying City | Brookline, MA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | New York |
| Best paying company | St. Jude Children's Research Hospital | Bloomberg |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | Finance |
There are a few differences between a research writer and a journalist in terms of educational background:
| Research Writer | Journalist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | English | Journalism |
| Most common college | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
Here are the differences between research writers' and journalists' demographics:
| Research Writer | Journalist | |
| Average age | 46 | 40 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 41.4% Female, 58.6% | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% |
| 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, 6.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.6% Asian, 9.6% White, 66.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 10% |