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The differences between researchers and requirements engineers 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 requirements engineer. Additionally, a requirements engineer has an average salary of $87,170, 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 requirements engineer are java, software development, and powerpoint.
| Researcher | Requirements Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $67,145 | $87,170 |
| Hourly rate | $32.28 | $41.91 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 30,498 | 166,444 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| 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.
Requirements engineers are responsible for the analysis, documentation, coordination, and management of requirements regarding new software projects. They identify and understand the customer's project-specific demands and document them in a clear and binding way. Their duties and responsibilities also include preparing well-written and detailed documentation of the project and ensuring the project is designed and built within the legal parameters.
Researchers and requirements engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Researcher | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average salary | $67,145 | $87,170 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $119,000 | Between $62,000 And $120,000 |
| Highest paying City | Newark, NJ | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | California |
| Best paying company | Renaissance Learning | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | - | Technology |
There are a few differences between a researcher and a requirements engineer in terms of educational background:
| Researcher | Requirements Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Biology | Electrical Engineering |
| Most common college | University of Southern California | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between researchers' and requirements engineers' demographics:
| Researcher | Requirements Engineer | |
| Average age | 41 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.9% Female, 49.1% | Male, 64.5% Female, 35.5% |
| 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, 4.6% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.3% Asian, 29.8% White, 52.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |