Social Science Research Assistant Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of social science research assistants to grow 5.0% from 2025 to 2035 (about 1,900 more jobs), with about 4,900 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $61,990 a year ranks 403rd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +5.0%
- Openings a year
- 4,900
- Median pay
- $61,990
- Pay rank
- 403rd of 825
Is employment of social science research assistants growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of social science research assistants to rise 5.0% (about 1,900 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is slower than the +7.6% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 48 life, physical, and social science occupations with a projection. That change ranks 235th of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 38,400 |
| Employment, 2035 | 40,400 |
| Projected change | +5.0% |
| Openings a year | 4,900 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 38,400 jobs here differ from the 30,640 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 4,900 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 382nd most of 830 occupations. About 96% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 190 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for social science research assistants rank?
The median of $61,990 a year ranks 403rd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Survey Researchers | -4.8% | 600 | $69,460 |
| Sociologists | +3.8% | 200 | $106,030 |
| Data Scientists | +34.6% | 24,800 | $120,230 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | +8.2% | 9,200 | $167,220 |
| Statisticians | +11.0% | 1,900 | $105,650 |
| Statistical Assistants | -1.8% | 500 | $50,330 |
| Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary | +2.7% | 25,700 | $42,910 |
| Computer Systems Analysts | +7.9% | 32,900 | $105,850 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.