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The differences between social research assistants and professional research assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a social research assistant and a professional research assistant. Additionally, a professional research assistant has an average salary of $58,202, which is higher than the $52,089 average annual salary of a social research assistant.
The top three skills for a social research assistant include social work, data entry and SPSS. The most important skills for a professional research assistant are research projects, data collection, and patients.
| Social Research Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $52,089 | $58,202 |
| Hourly rate | $25.04 | $27.98 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 74,385 | 91,813 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Social Research Assistants are responsible for providing support to social scientists in the area of surveys, laboratory work, and other related social research. Their duties include editing and submitting research documentation, acquiring research subjects' consent, preparing reports, managing databases, designing survey instruments, filter subject suitability, track participant's progress, manage laboratory resources and conduct data entry work. They also assist in research findings presentation, administer surveys, collect specimens, perform statistical analyses, supervise standardized testing, manage scheduling and recruitment of participants, and participate in basic researching.
A professional research assistant works under the supervision of primary researchers leading research projects. Research assistants help the main researchers in different tasks supporting research activities. These tasks vary based on research conducted and their field. The assistants prepare the interview questions and provide a results summary. They respond to emails, participate in project meetings, and prepare progress reports. Skills necessary for this job include communication skills, critical thinking, attention to detail, scheduling, and planning.
Social research assistants and professional research assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Social Research Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average salary | $52,089 | $58,202 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $83,000 | Between $38,000 And $88,000 |
| Highest paying City | Boston, MA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | New York University | Siemens |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a social research assistant and a professional research assistant in terms of educational background:
| Social Research Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Biology |
| Most common college | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between social research assistants' and professional research assistants' demographics:
| Social Research Assistant | Professional Research Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 32.6% Female, 67.4% | Male, 36.1% Female, 63.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 11.3% White, 55.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 16.8% Asian, 10.4% White, 56.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |