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The differences between teaching & research assistants and visiting assistant professors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a visiting assistant professor has an average salary of $72,541, which is higher than the $36,796 average annual salary of a teaching & research assistant.
The top three skills for a teaching & research assistant include lab reports, laboratory sessions and organic chemistry. The most important skills for a visiting assistant professor are philosophy, literature, and mathematics.
| Teaching & Research Assistant | Visiting Assistant Professor | |
| Yearly salary | $36,796 | $72,541 |
| Hourly rate | $17.69 | $34.88 |
| Growth rate | - | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 48,936 | 27,503 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
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.
A visiting assistant professor's responsibilities revolve around performing support tasks and conducting lectures while under the supervision or directives of a more experienced professor. Typically working for a limited period, a visiting assistant professor's duties are no different from full-time workers as their responsibilities revolve around assessing student progress through activities and examinations, developing a series of lectures, and preparing coursework. They may also monitor the progress of students, all while maintaining a safe and healthy learning environment for everyone.
Teaching & research assistants and visiting assistant professors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Teaching & Research Assistant | Visiting Assistant Professor | |
| Average salary | $36,796 | $72,541 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $64,000 | Between $41,000 And $125,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Oregon |
| Best paying company | - | University of Illinois System |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a teaching & research assistant and a visiting assistant professor in terms of educational background:
| Teaching & Research Assistant | Visiting Assistant Professor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 47% |
| Most common major | Chemistry | Mathematics |
| Most common college | Northeastern University | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill |
Here are the differences between teaching & research assistants' and visiting assistant professors' demographics:
| Teaching & Research Assistant | Visiting Assistant Professor | |
| Average age | 44 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 56.0% Female, 44.0% | Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 6.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 9.6% Asian, 14.7% White, 63.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 16% |