19 Series · SOC 19-4061
Social Science Research Assistants Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $61,990
- Median / year
- $102,070
- Top 10% earn
- +4.4%
- Growth '23–'33
- 30,640
- US workers
Social Science Research Assistants earn a median of $61,990 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $61,990, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,090 (10th percentile) to $102,070 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 30,640 US workers. Oklahoma pays the most ($69,090), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Social Science Research Assistants earn a median of $61,990, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 51% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #40 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.4% by 2033.
- $61,990
- Median annual wage
- Top 49%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #40 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 2.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Oklahoma at $69,090. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Social Science Research Assistants (SOC 19-4061) pays a national median of $61,990 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,090 at the 10th percentile to $102,070 at the 90th, with a mean of $66,140 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 30,640 Americans work in this occupation across 45 reporting states and 75 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.4% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 5,200 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Oklahoma pays the highest state median at $69,090, which is +11% above the national figure. The top metro is Flagstaff, AZ at $86,020 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$61,990
per year
Median Hourly
$29.81/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$66,140
average
Employment
30,640
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Social Science Research Assistants pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$61,990 Top 49% higher than 51% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Social Science Research Assistants; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Social Science Research Assistants sits on the slower-growing side at +4.4% growth and $61,990 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.4%
About average
Annual Openings
5,200
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Social Science Research Assistants roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
- ▸ Obtain informed consent of research subjects or their guardians.
- ▸ Administer standardized tests to research subjects, or interview them to collect research data.
- ▸ Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
- ▸ Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
- ▸ Recruit and schedule research participants.
- ▸ Screen potential subjects to determine their suitability as study participants.
- ▸ Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
- ▸ Track research participants, and perform any necessary follow-up tasks.
- ▸ Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$38,090
25th Percentile
$48,620
Median
$61,990
75th Percentile
$77,760
90th Percentile
$102,070
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 45 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | $69,090 | +11% above national |
| 2 | Delaware | $68,230 | +10% above national |
| 3 | Kansas | $67,740 | +9% above national |
| 4 | Georgia | $66,620 | +7% above national |
| 5 | Kentucky | $66,390 | +7% above national |
| 6 | Missouri | $65,940 | +6% above national |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $65,690 | +6% above national |
| 8 | Maryland | $65,550 | +6% above national |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $65,330 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Illinois | $64,890 | +5% above national |
| 11 | South Carolina | $64,490 | +4% above national |
| 12 | North Carolina | $63,710 | +3% above national |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $63,480 | +2% above national |
| 14 | New Jersey | $62,760 | +1% above national |
| 15 | Idaho | $62,570 | +1% above national |
| 16 | Alaska | $62,230 | same as national |
| 17 | Arizona | $61,680 | 1% below national |
| 18 | New York | $61,210 | 1% below national |
| 19 | California | $60,250 | 3% below national |
| 20 | Michigan | $60,210 | 3% below national |
| 21 | Connecticut | $60,110 | 3% below national |
| 22 | Texas | $58,070 | 6% below national |
| 23 | Indiana | $57,020 | 8% below national |
| 24 | Oregon | $56,770 | 8% below national |
| 25 | Nebraska | $56,190 | 9% below national |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $54,610 | 12% below national |
| 27 | Virginia | $53,260 | 14% below national |
| 28 | Alabama | $53,080 | 14% below national |
| 29 | Louisiana | $52,600 | 15% below national |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $51,420 | 17% below national |
| 31 | West Virginia | $51,140 | 18% below national |
| 32 | Florida | $50,700 | 18% below national |
| 33 | Maine | $50,650 | 18% below national |
| 34 | New Mexico | $50,640 | 18% below national |
| 35 | Colorado | $50,430 | 19% below national |
| 36 | Washington | $50,420 | 19% below national |
| 37 | Ohio | $50,330 | 19% below national |
| 38 | Montana | $49,860 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $48,090 | 22% below national |
| 40 | Vermont | $47,510 | 23% below national |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,410 | 25% below national |
| 42 | Minnesota | $44,920 | 28% below national |
| 43 | South Dakota | $44,820 | 28% below national |
| 44 | Iowa | $40,940 | 34% below national |
| 45 | Nevada | $26,560 | 57% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 75 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Flagstaff, AZ | $86,020 | +39% above national |
| 2 | Bowling Green, KY | $84,680 | +37% above national |
| 3 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $82,500 | +33% above national |
| 4 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,020 | +32% above national |
| 5 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,010 | +21% above national |
| 6 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $74,060 | +19% above national |
| 7 | Oklahoma City, OK | $72,710 | +17% above national |
| 8 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $67,780 | +9% above national |
| 9 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $67,440 | +9% above national |
| 10 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $66,520 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $66,200 | +7% above national |
| 12 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $65,740 | +6% above national |
| 13 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $65,550 | +6% above national |
| 14 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $65,330 | +5% above national |
| 15 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $65,330 | +5% above national |
| 16 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $65,330 | +5% above national |
| 17 | Columbia, MO | $65,050 | +5% above national |
| 18 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $64,900 | +5% above national |
| 19 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $64,890 | +5% above national |
| 20 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $64,650 | +4% above national |
| 21 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $64,490 | +4% above national |
| 22 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $64,290 | +4% above national |
| 23 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $64,220 | +4% above national |
| 24 | Boise City, ID | $63,860 | +3% above national |
| 25 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $63,480 | +2% above national |
| 26 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $63,440 | +2% above national |
| 27 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $62,670 | +1% above national |
| 28 | Columbia, SC | $62,090 | same as national |
| 29 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $61,760 | same as national |
| 30 | Tucson, AZ | $61,680 | 1% below national |
| 31 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $60,980 | 2% below national |
| 32 | Baton Rouge, LA | $60,710 | 2% below national |
| 33 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $59,850 | 3% below national |
| 34 | Lincoln, NE | $59,780 | 4% below national |
| 35 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $59,240 | 4% below national |
| 36 | Worcester, MA | $58,110 | 6% below national |
| 37 | Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area | $57,760 | 7% below national |
| 38 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $57,370 | 7% below national |
| 39 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $57,020 | 8% below national |
| 40 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $54,310 | 12% below national |
| 41 | Charlottesville, VA | $53,260 | 14% below national |
| 42 | Greenville, NC | $53,140 | 14% below national |
| 43 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $52,890 | 15% below national |
| 44 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $52,470 | 15% below national |
| 45 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $52,070 | 16% below national |
| 46 | Lafayette, LA | $52,070 | 16% below national |
| 47 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $51,780 | 16% below national |
| 48 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $51,530 | 17% below national |
| 49 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $51,140 | 18% below national |
| 50 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $50,800 | 18% below national |
| 51 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $50,700 | 18% below national |
| 52 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $50,650 | 18% below national |
| 53 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $50,450 | 19% below national |
| 54 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $50,430 | 19% below national |
| 55 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $50,420 | 19% below national |
| 56 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $50,310 | 19% below national |
| 57 | Madison, WI | $50,090 | 19% below national |
| 58 | Pittsburgh, PA | $50,070 | 19% below national |
| 59 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $49,480 | 20% below national |
| 60 | Richmond, VA | $49,060 | 21% below national |
| 61 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $49,000 | 21% below national |
| 62 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $48,550 | 22% below national |
| 63 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $47,980 | 23% below national |
| 64 | Omaha, NE-IA | $46,730 | 25% below national |
| 65 | Wilmington, NC | $46,480 | 25% below national |
| 66 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $46,410 | 25% below national |
| 67 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $45,760 | 26% below national |
| 68 | Ann Arbor, MI | $43,060 | 31% below national |
| 69 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $36,710 | 41% below national |
| 70 | Chico, CA | $36,080 | 42% below national |
| 71 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $33,840 | 45% below national |
| 72 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $33,190 | 46% below national |
| 73 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $32,260 | 48% below national |
| 74 | Reno, NV | $27,270 | 56% below national |
| 75 | Cleveland, OH | $24,810 | 60% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 19 (life physical and social science) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a Social Science Research Assistants make? ▼
What state pays Social Science Research Assistants the most? ▼
What education do you need to become a Social Science Research Assistants? ▼
How dangerous is being a Social Science Research Assistants? ▼
Is Social Science Research Assistants a good career? ▼
How does Social Science Research Assistants pay vary by state? ▼
Which metro areas pay the most for Social Science Research Assistants? ▼
What to do with this data
How to use Social Science Research Assistants pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $77,760/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Oklahoma leads at $69,090/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.