Social Science Research Assistants: salary, outlook & degrees
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.
Middle half $48,620–$77,760. 30,640 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 4,900 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $69,090 |
| Delaware | $68,230 |
| Kansas | $67,740 |
| Georgia | $66,620 |
| Kentucky | $66,390 |
| Missouri | $65,940 |
| New Hampshire | $65,690 |
| Maryland | $65,550 |
| District of Columbia | $65,330 |
| Illinois | $64,890 |
| South Carolina | $64,490 |
| North Carolina | $63,710 |
| Massachusetts | $63,480 |
| New Jersey | $62,760 |
| Idaho | $62,570 |
| Alaska | $62,230 |
| Arizona | $61,680 |
| New York | $61,210 |
| California | $60,250 |
| Michigan | $60,210 |
| Connecticut | $60,110 |
| Texas | $58,070 |
| Indiana | $57,020 |
| Oregon | $56,770 |
| Nebraska | $56,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,610 |
| Virginia | $53,260 |
| Alabama | $53,080 |
| Louisiana | $52,600 |
| Rhode Island | $51,420 |
| West Virginia | $51,140 |
| Florida | $50,700 |
| Maine | $50,650 |
| New Mexico | $50,640 |
| Colorado | $50,430 |
| Washington | $50,420 |
| Ohio | $50,330 |
| Montana | $49,860 |
| Wisconsin | $48,090 |
| Vermont | $47,510 |
| Tennessee | $46,410 |
| Minnesota | $44,920 |
| South Dakota | $44,820 |
| Iowa | $40,940 |
| Nevada | $26,560 |
Largest metro areas for this job
- New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ$65,330
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA$59,240
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV$65,330
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell GA$67,440
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA$82,020
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad CA$66,520
- Louisville/Jefferson County KY-IN$82,500
- Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler AZ$64,290
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD$61,760
- Raleigh-Cary NC$65,330
- Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos TX$64,900
- Tucson AZ$61,680
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
Knowledge used
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Administrative
- Mathematics
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Integrity
- Achievement Orientation
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Social Science Research Assistants: questions
How much do social Science Research Assistants make?
Social Science Research Assistants earn a U.S. median $61,990 a year; the middle half earn $48,620 to $77,760 (BLS, May 2025).
Is social Science Research Assistants a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 5.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,900 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a social Science Research Assistant?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 91% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required.
How much do social Science Research Assistants make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $50,700 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $61,990 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 19-4061. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Social Science Research Assistants: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/social-science-research-assistants.