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The differences between researchers and principal investigators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a researcher and a principal investigator. Additionally, a principal investigator has an average salary of $84,635, which is higher than the $67,145 average annual salary of a researcher.
The top three skills for a researcher include python, lab equipment and C++. The most important skills for a principal investigator are patients, data collection, and project management.
| Researcher | Principal Investigator | |
| Yearly salary | $67,145 | $84,635 |
| Hourly rate | $32.28 | $40.69 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 30,498 | 44,475 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A researcher is responsible for collating, organizing, and verifying necessary information for a specific subject. Researchers' duties include analyzing data, gathering and comparing resources, ensuring facts, sharing findings with the whole research team, adhering to required methodologies, performing fieldwork as needed, and keeping critical information confidential. Researchers must be knowledgeable about the current market trends and align findings with the research goals. A researcher must show strong communication skills, as well as strong attention to detail and time-management skills to meet deadlines under minimal supervision.
A Principal Investigator is the primary person who is responsible for designing, conducting, and reporting a research project. They report to a designated official such as the department head or division chief.
Researchers and principal investigators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Researcher | Principal Investigator | |
| Average salary | $67,145 | $84,635 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $119,000 | Between $59,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Renaissance Learning | Incyte |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a researcher and a principal investigator in terms of educational background:
| Researcher | Principal Investigator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 53% |
| Most common major | Biology | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor |
Here are the differences between researchers' and principal investigators' demographics:
| Researcher | Principal Investigator | |
| Average age | 41 | 47 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% | Male, 52.2% Female, 47.8% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.0% Asian, 4.3% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 16% |