BLS metro-level wage data places Social Science Research Assistants pay in Portland-South Portland, ME at a median of $50,650 per year ($24.35/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $61,990, Portland-South Portland pays 18% below, which typically tracks with a lower local cost of living or smaller specialized-employer cluster. Approximately 40 social science research assistantss are employed across the Portland-South Portland MSA in SOC 19-4061.

The Portland-South Portland pay distribution spans from $43,910 at the 10th percentile to $65,010 at the 90th — a 1.5× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $44,530 and the 75th at $65,010, so half of Portland-South Portland-based social science research assistantss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so Portland-South Portland, ME covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide ME data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.