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The differences between senior research fellows and research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a senior research fellow, becoming a research assistant takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a senior research fellow has an average salary of $62,129, which is higher than the $42,896 average annual salary of a research assistant.
The top three skills for a senior research fellow include python, research projects and data analysis. The most important skills for a research assistant are patients, lab equipment, and data collection.
| Senior Research Fellow | Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $62,129 | $42,896 |
| Hourly rate | $29.87 | $20.62 |
| Growth rate | 17% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 53,535 | 51,080 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
Senior Research Fellows are reputable researchers employed in an academic institution or a research facility. The nature of their employment in the institution is related to their research work or field of interest. Senior Research Fellows lead a team of researchers on big projects that require more team members. They manage the team's budget, set timelines, and guide the researchers. They spearhead the analysis of the data gathered. They also set the tone for the presentation materials. Senior Research Fellows should be passionate about their field, should have a thirst for knowledge, and should be able to lead teams.
Research assistants give support to researchers or other professionals who need assistance as they conduct experiments, studies, or other research projects. Research assistants help in conducting experiments, surveys, or interviews under the supervision of the primary researcher. They also work on research activities such as literature reviews, collect data, assist in interpreting results, prepare designs or visuals for the presentation of the results, and even ensure that all the tools and documentation related to the study are properly organized. They also assist in fact-checking the output and ensure that the data presented are accurate. Research assistants usually possess an academic background that is related to the main research topic.
Senior research fellows and research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Senior Research Fellow | Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $62,129 | $42,896 |
| Salary range | Between $40,000 And $95,000 | Between $28,000 And $64,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a senior research fellow and a research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Senior Research Fellow | Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 52% | Bachelor's Degree, 74% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Psychology |
| Most common college | Duke University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between senior research fellows' and research assistants' demographics:
| Senior Research Fellow | Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.1% Female, 43.9% | Male, 46.3% Female, 53.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 26.5% White, 53.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |