Social Science Research Assistants Salary
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 31K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$61,990
Median hourly
$30
Average annual
$66,140
Typical range
$38,090–$102,070
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Social Science Research Assistants is $61,990 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $30 an hour at a full-time schedule.
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..
Most earn between $38,090 and $102,070 a year. There are roughly 31K people employed as social science research assistants in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Social Science Research Assistants.
- Hourly
- $29.80
- Daily
- $238
- Weekly
- $1,192
- Bi-weekly
- $2,384
- Monthly
- $5,166
- Annual
- $61,990
$61,990 a year is around the 50th percentile for Social Science Research Assistantss. The median is $61,990.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Oklahoma$69,090
- 2Delaware$68,230
- 3Kansas$67,740
- 4Georgia$66,620
- 5Kentucky$66,390
- 6Missouri$65,940
- 7New Hampshire$65,690
- 8Maryland$65,550
- 9District of Columbia$65,330
- 10Illinois$64,890
- 11South Carolina$64,490
- 12North Carolina$63,710
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Flagstaff, AZ$86,020
- 2Bowling Green, KY$84,680
- 3Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN$82,500
- 4San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$82,020
- 5San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$75,010
- 6Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC$74,060
- 7Oklahoma City, OK$72,710
- 8San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX$67,780
- 9Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$67,440
- 10San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$66,520
- 11Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$66,200
- 12Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$65,740
Related job titles
Employers advertise Social Science Research Assistants roles under these titles.
- Bilingual Research Interviewer
- Clinical Research Assistant
- Economic Research Assistant
- Economist Research Assistant
- Historian Research Assistant
- Political Science Research Assistant
- Postdoctoral Research Associate
- Psychologist Research Assistant
- Research Aide
- Research Data Analyst
- Social Research Assistant
- Sociology Research Assistant
Related occupations
What a Social Science Research Assistants does
- Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
- Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
- Develop and implement research quality control procedures.
- Prepare, manipulate, and manage extensive databases.
- Perform data entry and other clerical work as required for project completion.
- Conduct internet-based and library research.
- Present research findings to groups of people.
- Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Social Science Research Assistants make?
- The median annual wage for Social Science Research Assistants is $61,990 ($30 per hour). Pay ranges from about $38,090 at the 10th percentile to $102,070 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Social Science Research Assistants?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $66,140, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Social Science Research Assistantss the most?
- Oklahoma has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $69,090.
- Is Social Science Research Assistants a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 31K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Social Science Research Assistants do?
- Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.; Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.; Develop and implement research quality control procedures..