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The differences between student research assistants and research scientists 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 scientist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a research scientist has an average salary of $89,998, 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 scientist are python, data analysis, and patients.
| Student Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Yearly salary | $27,475 | $89,998 |
| Hourly rate | $13.21 | $43.27 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 59,758 | 93,013 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| 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.
The job of research scientists is to design, undertake, and analyze information from experiments, trials, and laboratory-based investigations. They usually perform experiments in different areas, including medical research, pharmacology, and geoscience. They have varied duties and responsibilities that include planning and carrying out experiments, conducting fieldwork, and overseeing junior staff members like the technicians. They are typically working for a government laboratory, an environmental agency, and other organizations. Many of these scientists also work in teams and support staff.
Student research assistants and research scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Student Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Average salary | $27,475 | $89,998 |
| Salary range | Between $19,000 And $37,000 | Between $58,000 And $137,000 |
| Highest paying City | Fairbanks, AK | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | California |
| Best paying company | Lyft | |
| Best paying industry | Education | - |
There are a few differences between a student research assistant and a research scientist in terms of educational background:
| Student Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 52% |
| Most common major | Biology | Chemistry |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Duke University |
Here are the differences between student research assistants' and research scientists' demographics:
| Student Research Assistant | Research Scientist | |
| Average age | 38 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 44.1% Female, 55.9% | Male, 62.5% Female, 37.5% |
| 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, 6.2% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 9.4% Asian, 29.6% White, 50.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |