Social Science Research Assistants
Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061) earn a median $61,990 a year ($29.81 an hour) in the United States, with 30,640 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Oklahoma.
What social science research assistants do
Social science research assistants help social scientists with laboratory, survey, and other research. Typical tasks include preparing tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports that summarize research results, running descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses with computer software, and helping prepare project reports, manuscripts, and presentations. Some design and create programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry, others verify the accuracy of data entered in databases, manage extensive databases, or do data entry and other clerical work. Their work may also include assisting with laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management for a project. The classification excludes postsecondary teaching assistants, who help instructors with courses rather than research. The occupation differs from survey researchers and social scientists, who design the studies and take responsibility for interpreting findings, and from market research analysts, who study consumer demand in commercial settings. Developing and applying quality control procedures for research is also part of the work.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Clinical Research Assistant, Economic Research Assistant, Data Analyst, Bilingual Research Interviewer, Economist Research Assistant.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $18.31 | $23.38 | $29.81 | $37.38 | $49.07 | $31.80 | 30,640 |
| Annual | $38,090 | $48,620 | $61,990 | $77,760 | $102,070 | $66,140 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where social science research assistants earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Oklahoma | Hourly | $19.30 | $29.07 | $33.22 | $40.76 | $55.60 | $36.52 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| Annual | $40,140 | $60,460 | $69,090 | $84,780 | $115,660 | $75,960 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $19.42 | $25.86 | $32.80 | $38.63 | $46.52 | $32.33 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| Annual | $40,400 | $53,780 | $68,230 | $80,350 | $96,770 | $67,240 | ||||
| Kansas | Hourly | $20.74 | $26.43 | $32.57 | $32.57 | $32.57 | $29.15 | 170 | 0.12 | 0.60 |
| Annual | $43,140 | $54,970 | $67,740 | $67,740 | $67,740 | $60,630 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $19.54 | $25.40 | $32.03 | $47.64 | $65.77 | $37.85 | 1,840 | 0.38 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $40,650 | $52,830 | $66,620 | $99,090 | $136,810 | $78,740 | ||||
| Kentucky | Hourly | $21.66 | $24.88 | $31.92 | $39.66 | $51.25 | $33.80 | 1,190 | 0.60 | 3.02 |
| Annual | $45,050 | $51,750 | $66,390 | $82,500 | $106,590 | $70,300 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $18.30 | $20.04 | $28.97 | $40.86 | $56.28 | $33.78 | 5,300 | 0.29 | 1.48 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $41,670 | $60,250 | $84,990 | $117,070 | $70,260 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $17.08 | $22.25 | $29.43 | $38.28 | $49.56 | $31.97 | 3,040 | 0.31 | 1.59 |
| Annual | $35,520 | $46,280 | $61,210 | $79,630 | $103,080 | $66,500 | ||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $24.03 | $25.06 | $30.63 | $32.54 | $39.26 | $31.38 | 2,930 | 0.59 | 3.01 |
| Annual | $49,980 | $52,130 | $63,710 | $67,680 | $81,650 | $65,260 | ||||
| Georgia | Hourly | $19.54 | $25.40 | $32.03 | $47.64 | $65.77 | $37.85 | 1,840 | 0.38 | 1.91 |
| Annual | $40,650 | $52,830 | $66,620 | $99,090 | $136,810 | $78,740 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $24.43 | $27.32 | $31.41 | $39.15 | $53.86 | $35.06 | 1,560 | 2.22 | 11.25 |
| Annual | $50,810 | $56,830 | $65,330 | $81,420 | $112,030 | $72,920 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Flagstaff, AZ | Hourly | $23.85 | $34.31 | $41.36 | $41.36 | $49.67 | $38.79 | 40 | 0.55 | 2.80 |
| Annual | $49,600 | $71,350 | $86,020 | $86,020 | $103,310 | $80,680 | ||||
| Bowling Green, KY | Hourly | $25.87 | $32.46 | $40.71 | $51.38 | $65.84 | $42.41 | 100 | 1.19 | 6.05 |
| Annual | $53,800 | $67,530 | $84,680 | $106,870 | $136,940 | $88,200 | ||||
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | Hourly | $23.54 | $25.51 | $39.66 | $51.25 | $65.43 | $38.09 | 570 | 0.83 | 4.19 |
| Annual | $48,950 | $53,050 | $82,500 | $106,590 | $136,090 | $79,230 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $20.81 | $22.38 | $39.43 | $50.60 | $65.82 | $41.77 | 710 | 0.30 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $43,290 | $46,550 | $82,020 | $105,250 | $136,910 | $86,880 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $21.32 | $21.32 | $36.06 | $48.04 | $63.90 | $38.50 | 330 | 0.29 | 1.49 |
| Annual | $44,350 | $44,350 | $75,010 | $99,930 | $132,900 | $80,080 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $19.15 | $24.05 | $31.41 | $39.76 | $51.63 | $34.34 | 2,610 | 0.28 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $39,830 | $50,020 | $65,330 | $82,700 | $107,390 | $71,420 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $18.30 | $18.30 | $28.48 | $37.38 | $46.99 | $30.77 | 2,290 | 0.37 | 1.86 |
| Annual | $38,060 | $38,070 | $59,240 | $77,760 | $97,730 | $63,990 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $23.91 | $27.74 | $31.41 | $39.38 | $53.86 | $35.31 | 2,170 | 0.69 | 3.52 |
| Annual | $49,730 | $57,700 | $65,330 | $81,910 | $112,030 | $73,440 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $25.40 | $30.84 | $32.42 | $51.97 | $72.05 | $43.66 | 990 | 0.34 | 1.74 |
| Annual | $52,830 | $64,150 | $67,440 | $108,100 | $149,860 | $90,820 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $20.81 | $22.38 | $39.43 | $50.60 | $65.82 | $41.77 | 710 | 0.30 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $43,290 | $46,550 | $82,020 | $105,250 | $136,910 | $86,880 | ||||
Top industries employing social science research assistants
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 45.4% of social science research assistants nationally (13,920 jobs) at a median $63,260 a year ($30.41 an hour), followed by Scientific Research and Development Services (30.2%) and General Medical and Surgical Hospitals (5.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 13,920 | 45.4% | $63,260 | $30.41 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 9,260 | 30.2% | $62,870 | $30.23 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 1,760 | 5.7% | $59,240 | $28.48 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 830 | 2.7% | $74,600 | $35.87 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services NAICS 541900 | 720 | 2.3% | $86,600 | $41.64 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (30,640). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $49,720 for social science research assistants in May 2021 and $61,990 in May 2025, with employment of 28,690 and 30,640.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $49,720 | $23.90 | 28,690 |
| May 2022 | $50,470 | $24.26 | 28,720 |
| May 2023 | $56,400 | $27.11 | 30,890 |
| May 2024 | $58,040 | $27.90 | 32,940 |
| May 2025 | $61,990 | $29.81 | 30,640 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
46 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma profile | $33.22 | $69,090 | $40,140 | $115,660 | 100 | 0.06 | 0.29 |
| 2 | Delaware profile | $32.80 | $68,230 | $40,400 | $96,770 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 3 | Kansas profile | $32.57 | $67,740 | $43,140 | $67,740 | 170 | 0.12 | 0.60 |
| 4 | Georgia profile | $32.03 | $66,620 | $40,650 | $136,810 | 1,840 | 0.38 | 1.91 |
| 5 | Kentucky profile | $31.92 | $66,390 | $45,050 | $106,590 | 1,190 | 0.60 | 3.02 |
| 6 | Missouri profile | $31.70 | $65,940 | $39,250 | $79,860 | 750 | 0.25 | 1.29 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $31.58 | $65,690 | $37,350 | $93,030 | 70 | 0.11 | 0.54 |
| 8 | Maryland profile | $31.52 | $65,550 | $47,260 | $113,020 | 700 | 0.25 | 1.29 |
| 9 | District of Columbia profile | $31.41 | $65,330 | $50,810 | $112,030 | 1,560 | 2.22 | 11.25 |
| 10 | Illinois profile | $31.20 | $64,890 | $37,460 | $116,530 | 250 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 11 | South Carolina profile | $31.00 | $64,490 | $48,200 | $130,300 | 500 | 0.22 | 1.11 |
| 12 | North Carolina profile | $30.63 | $63,710 | $49,980 | $81,650 | 2,930 | 0.59 | 3.01 |
| 13 | Massachusetts profile | $30.52 | $63,480 | $49,500 | $82,130 | ** | ** | ** |
| 14 | New Jersey profile | $30.18 | $62,760 | $37,960 | $105,390 | 370 | 0.09 | 0.44 |
| 15 | Idaho profile | $30.08 | $62,570 | $48,770 | $80,800 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Alaska profile | $29.92 | $62,230 | $37,450 | $115,440 | 40 | 0.12 | 0.61 |
| 17 | Arizona profile | $29.65 | $61,680 | $47,130 | $82,470 | 1,020 | 0.31 | 1.59 |
| 18 | New York profile | $29.43 | $61,210 | $35,520 | $103,080 | 3,040 | 0.31 | 1.59 |
| 19 | California profile | $28.97 | $60,250 | $38,060 | $117,070 | 5,300 | 0.29 | 1.48 |
| 20 | Michigan profile | $28.95 | $60,210 | $41,970 | $82,870 | 750 | 0.17 | 0.87 |
| 21 | Connecticut profile | $28.90 | $60,110 | $35,860 | $88,270 | 50 | 0.03 | 0.15 |
| 22 | Texas profile | $27.92 | $58,070 | $38,120 | $108,730 | 1,180 | 0.08 | 0.42 |
| 23 | Indiana profile | $27.41 | $57,020 | $30,580 | $105,750 | 210 | 0.07 | 0.34 |
| 24 | Oregon profile | $27.29 | $56,770 | $48,150 | $85,110 | 220 | 0.11 | 0.57 |
| 25 | Nebraska profile | $27.01 | $56,190 | $37,830 | $78,880 | 230 | 0.22 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $26.26 | $54,610 | $44,710 | $81,640 | 860 | 0.14 | 0.72 |
| 27 | Virginia profile | $25.61 | $53,260 | $42,550 | $83,760 | 700 | 0.17 | 0.86 |
| 28 | Alabama profile | $25.52 | $53,080 | $52,430 | $57,160 | ** | ** | ** |
| 29 | Louisiana profile | $25.29 | $52,600 | $43,890 | $64,290 | 340 | 0.18 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Rhode Island profile | $24.72 | $51,420 | $41,990 | $99,720 | 220 | 0.44 | 2.23 |
| 31 | West Virginia profile | $24.59 | $51,140 | $30,330 | $145,770 | 550 | 0.79 | 3.99 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $24.38 | $50,700 | $33,190 | $81,520 | 1,130 | 0.11 | 0.58 |
| 33 | Maine profile | $24.35 | $50,650 | $41,870 | $66,990 | 120 | 0.19 | 0.95 |
| 34 | New Mexico profile | $24.34 | $50,640 | $40,250 | $102,950 | 50 | 0.06 | 0.30 |
| 35 | Colorado profile | $24.24 | $50,430 | $42,590 | $63,610 | 100 | 0.03 | 0.17 |
| 36 | Washington profile | $24.24 | $50,420 | $45,530 | $75,720 | 450 | 0.13 | 0.64 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $24.20 | $50,330 | $23,770 | $104,420 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.22 |
| 38 | Montana profile | $23.97 | $49,860 | $29,680 | $69,570 | 30 | 0.06 | 0.31 |
| 39 | Wisconsin profile | $23.12 | $48,090 | $34,710 | $71,050 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| 40 | Vermont profile | $22.84 | $47,510 | $47,510 | $76,650 | 40 | 0.15 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Tennessee profile | $22.31 | $46,410 | $33,120 | $58,500 | 140 | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| 42 | Minnesota profile | $21.60 | $44,920 | $38,080 | $68,070 | 300 | 0.10 | 0.52 |
| 43 | South Dakota profile | $21.55 | $44,820 | $28,260 | $50,670 | 40 | 0.09 | 0.47 |
| 44 | Iowa profile | $19.68 | $40,940 | $22,260 | $58,470 | 140 | 0.09 | 0.45 |
| 45 | Nevada profile | $12.77 | $26,560 | $24,960 | $47,830 | ** | ** | ** |
| – | Utah profile | * | * | * | * | 500 | 0.29 | 1.45 |
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4061 Social Science Research Assistants.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4061, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4061.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.