Social Science Research Assistant salary in the U.S.
Social Science Research Assistants in the U.S. earn a median of $61,990 a year ($29.81 an hour), based on BLS data for 30,640 workers.
Pay ranges from $38,090 for the lowest-paid 10% to $102,070 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $66,140, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for social science research assistants in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $38,090 | $18.31 |
| 25th percentile | $48,620 | $23.38 |
| Median | $61,990 | $29.81 |
| 75th percentile | $77,760 | $37.38 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $102,070 | $49.07 |
| Average (mean) | $66,140 | $31.80 |
Half of social science research assistants earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,165.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,582.92 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,384.23 |
| Weekly | $1,192.12 |
| Hourly | $29.81 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Social Science Research Assistant salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $69,090 | 100 |
| Delaware | $68,230 | 40 |
| Kansas | $67,740 | 170 |
| Georgia | $66,620 | 1,840 |
| Kentucky | $66,390 | 1,190 |
| Missouri | $65,940 | 750 |
| New Hampshire | $65,690 | 70 |
| Maryland | $65,550 | 700 |
| District of Columbia | $65,330 | 1,560 |
| Illinois | $64,890 | 250 |
| South Carolina | $64,490 | 500 |
| North Carolina | $63,710 | 2,930 |
| Massachusetts | $63,480 | n/a |
| New Jersey | $62,760 | 370 |
| Idaho | $62,570 | n/a |
| Alaska | $62,230 | 40 |
| Arizona | $61,680 | 1,020 |
| New York | $61,210 | 3,040 |
| California | $60,250 | 5,300 |
| Michigan | $60,210 | 750 |
| Connecticut | $60,110 | 50 |
| Texas | $58,070 | 1,180 |
| Indiana | $57,020 | 210 |
| Oregon | $56,770 | 220 |
| Nebraska | $56,190 | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,610 | 860 |
| Virginia | $53,260 | 700 |
| Alabama | $53,080 | n/a |
| Louisiana | $52,600 | 340 |
| Rhode Island | $51,420 | 220 |
| West Virginia | $51,140 | 550 |
| Florida | $50,700 | 1,130 |
| Maine | $50,650 | 120 |
| New Mexico | $50,640 | 50 |
| Colorado | $50,430 | 100 |
| Washington | $50,420 | 450 |
| Ohio | $50,330 | 240 |
| Montana | $49,860 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $48,090 | 110 |
| Vermont | $47,510 | 40 |
| Tennessee | $46,410 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $44,920 | 300 |
| South Dakota | $44,820 | 40 |
| Iowa | $40,940 | 140 |
| Nevada | $26,560 | n/a |
Best-paying metro areas for social science research assistants
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | $86,020 | 40 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $84,680 | 100 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $82,500 | 570 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,020 | 710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,010 | 330 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $74,060 | 190 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $72,710 | 70 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $67,780 | 90 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $67,440 | 990 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $66,520 | 670 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $66,200 | 250 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $65,740 | 100 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $65,550 | 230 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $65,330 | 2,610 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,330 | 540 |
Metro areas with the most social science research assistants
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,610 | $65,330 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,290 | $59,240 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,170 | $65,330 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 990 | $67,440 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 710 | $82,020 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 670 | $66,520 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 570 | $82,500 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 570 | $64,290 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $61,760 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 540 | $65,330 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 450 | $64,900 |
| Tucson, AZ | 390 | $61,680 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 370 | $64,220 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 370 | $51,780 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 370 | $50,800 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| Chemical Technician | $60,390 | $29.03 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $72,060 | $34.65 |
| Agricultural Technician | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Food Science Technician | $52,130 | $25.06 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | $25.65 |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 |
| Hydrologic Technician | $64,790 | $31.15 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-4061. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a social science research assistant make in the U.S.?
The median salary for social science research assistants in the U.S. is $61,990 a year, or $29.81 an hour. Pay ranges from $38,090 for the lowest-paid 10% to $102,070 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid social science research assistants make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of social science research assistants in the U.S. earn at least $102,070 a year. The top 25% earn $77,760 or more.
What is the starting pay for social science research assistants in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $38,090 a year, and a quarter of social science research assistants earn $48,620 or less.
How many social science research assistants work in the U.S.?
About 30,640 social science research assistants are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.