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Teaching & research assistant vs graduate research student

The differences between teaching & research assistants and graduate research students can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a teaching & research assistant has an average salary of $36,796, which is higher than the $34,658 average annual salary of a graduate research student.

The top three skills for a teaching & research assistant include lab reports, laboratory sessions and organic chemistry. The most important skills for a graduate research student are lab equipment, laboratory equipment, and python.

Teaching & research assistant vs graduate research student overview

Teaching & Research AssistantGraduate Research Student
Yearly salary$36,796$34,658
Hourly rate$17.69$16.66
Growth rate-19%
Number of jobs48,93658,921
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4444
Years of experience--

What does a teaching & research assistant do?

The job of teaching and research assistants is to support faculty members in course material preparation and instruction. They often work in educational institutions such as universities and colleges. They perform varied duties and responsibilities that may include organizing visual aids and reference materials, conducting discussion groups, laboratory sessions, and seminars, and grading term papers, exams, and laboratory reports. Teaching and research assistants may also teach sections, conduct tutorials, and assist in overseeing study projects. The skills and qualifications required for this role may include being enrolled in a doctoral or master's study program and excellent communication skills.

What does a graduate research student do?

Graduate research students are learners who conduct degree program-related research in a research unit or an academic department. These students manage themselves independently as well as their work. They make certain that they have familiarized the requirements of the university. Educators and other scholars expect them to develop enough research and skills. Their responsibilities include academic honesty, participation in supervisory meetings, and maintenance of effective supervisor communication. In terms of their research, they should have a research plan ahead.

Teaching & research assistant vs graduate research student salary

Teaching & research assistants and graduate research students have different pay scales, as shown below.

Teaching & Research AssistantGraduate Research Student
Average salary$36,796$34,658
Salary rangeBetween $20,000 And $64,000Between $19,000 And $60,000
Highest paying City-Boston, MA
Highest paying state-Pennsylvania
Best paying company-Capgemini
Best paying industry-Education

Differences between teaching & research assistant and graduate research student education

There are a few differences between a teaching & research assistant and a graduate research student in terms of educational background:

Teaching & Research AssistantGraduate Research Student
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 67%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorChemistryBiology
Most common collegeNortheastern UniversityStanford University

Teaching & research assistant vs graduate research student demographics

Here are the differences between teaching & research assistants' and graduate research students' demographics:

Teaching & Research AssistantGraduate Research Student
Average age4444
Gender ratioMale, 56.0% Female, 44.0%Male, 47.2% Female, 52.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 11.6% White, 54.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 17.6% Asian, 11.8% White, 54.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between teaching & research assistant and graduate research student duties and responsibilities

Teaching & research assistant example responsibilities.

  • Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
  • Design and teach workshops on serial communication, basic python, and open computer vision library.
  • Guide and monitor classroom lab activities involving SPSS software, research analysis, and data compilation.
  • Assemble, correlate and analyze research outcomes using SPSS, and synthesize data and findings graphically using charts.
  • Prepare and teach lab sections for undergraduate-level cartography and spatial statistics courses, and graduate-level raster GIS course.
  • Design questionnaire for tobacco study, collect data by going on fields, enter data, create SAS databases.
  • Show more

Graduate research student example responsibilities.

  • Evaluate patients' study eligibility via medical history, obtain informed consent, enroll patients, and achieve enrollment quotas.
  • Conduct molecular and cellular biology research techniques including DNA, RNA and protein isolation and analysis
  • Assist in organic chemistry laboratory on synthesis of molecule that behaves as fluorescent switch with cation binding properties
  • Perform Parkinson's psychological test on undergraduate students at UCLA and analyze data using statistical analysis software SPSS.
  • Analyze data using SAS statistical software, and map populations using GIS.
  • Summarize statistics from SAS outputs for USDA research grant investigating WIC and food insecurity.
  • Show more

Teaching & research assistant vs graduate research student skills

Common teaching & research assistant skills
  • Lab Reports, 19%
  • Laboratory Sessions, 9%
  • Organic Chemistry, 7%
  • R, 6%
  • Research Projects, 6%
  • Undergraduate Courses, 5%
Common graduate research student skills
  • Lab Equipment, 11%
  • Laboratory Equipment, 6%
  • Python, 6%
  • C++, 5%
  • Chemistry, 5%
  • Cell Culture, 5%

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