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The differences between student research assistants and research fellows can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a student research assistant, becoming a research fellow takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research fellow has an average salary of $53,823, which is higher than the $27,475 average annual salary of a student research assistant.
The top three skills for a student research assistant include lab equipment, student research and data collection. The most important skills for a research fellow are patients, research projects, and data analysis.
| Student Research Assistant | Research Fellow | |
| Yearly salary | $27,475 | $53,823 |
| Hourly rate | $13.21 | $25.88 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,758 | 59,746 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A student research assistant is responsible for supporting the school's research department on conducting various research tasks using the techniques and resources provided by the supervising faculty. Student research assistants collect and verify research data, interpret and document findings using research methodologies, organize and prepare research materials, write research reports, and provide recommendations to improve research strategies and techniques. A student research assistant must have excellent communication and organizational skills, as well as the ability to multitask and be a fast-learner to interpret data within a specific time.
A research fellow is an academic researcher who conducts research and analysis of comprehensive literature, data, and results and provides literature reviews. He/She supervises research assistants and recruits study participants to interview them for a particular study. To become a research fellow, a candidate should have a doctorate in a relevant discipline and publish peer-reviewed papers. Also, a research fellow can be an independent investigator or be supervised by a principal investigator.
Student research assistants and research fellows have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Research Assistant | Research Fellow | |
| Average salary | $27,475 | $53,823 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $37,000 | Between $39,000 And $72,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | South San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | |
| Best paying industry | Education | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a student research assistant and a research fellow in terms of educational background:
| Student Research Assistant | Research Fellow | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between student research assistants' and research fellows' demographics:
| Student Research Assistant | Research Fellow | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 55.3% Female, 44.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 6.0% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 16.7% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 6.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 27.1% White, 52.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |