Average Social Science Research Assistants Salary in the United States
The national median salary for Social Science Research Assistants is $61,990 per year. The middle 50% earn between $48,620 and $77,760, with 30,640 workers employed nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates . Data covers 46 states and 75 metro areas.
Pay distribution
Here is how Social Science Research Assistants pay is distributed across workers nationally. The 10th percentile typically reflects entry-level or early-career pay, the median is the midpoint, and the 90th percentile represents the top earners in the field.
- 10th
- $38,090
- 25th
- $48,620
- Median
- $61,990
- 75th
- $77,760
- 90th
- $102,070
All values are percentiles of annual wages.
Social Science Research Assistants earn close to the national median for all US workers. Solidly middle-income.
Pay varies significantly across workers. Seniority, employer size, and specialization all move the needle, so it is normal for two social science research assistants at different points in their careers to earn very different salaries.
Job outlook
BLS projects employment for social science research assistants from 2024 to 2034. Growth is roughly in line with the US average of about 4% across all occupations.
- Projected growth
- +4.4%
- 1,800 net jobs over the projection period.
- Annual openings
- 5,200
- Includes growth plus replacements for workers who leave. Annual openings are high relative to the workforce size, reflecting meaningful turnover and new-hire volume.
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is the typical entry requirement for social science research assistants.
Where Social Science Research Assistants earn the most
Location matters for pay. The top-paying state is noticeably above the national median, so relocating to a higher-paying market can meaningfully boost earnings. Right now, the top-paying state is Oklahoma at $69,090, about 11.5% above the national median. At the metro level, Flagstaff, AZ leads with a median of $86,020.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metros
| Metro area | Median salary | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | $86,020 | 40 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $84,680 | 100 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $82,500 | 570 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $82,020 | 710 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,010 | 330 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $74,060 | 190 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $72,710 | 70 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $67,780 | 90 |
Compare two locations side by side
Pick two states or metros to see social science research assistants pay in each, along with a cost-of-living adjusted view.
Salary trend and related occupations
Between 2019 and 2025, the national median salary for Social Science Research Assistants rose from $47,510 to $61,990, a gain of +30.5% in nominal dollars.
Over the same period, US consumer prices rose by +25.9%. Just to keep pace with inflation, the 2019 median of $47,510 would need to be worth $59,828 in 2025 dollars.
The actual 2025 median of $61,990 is $2,162 above that inflation-adjusted benchmark, a real change of +3.6% in purchasing power.
Real wages have outpaced inflation by 3.6%, a modest but real gain in purchasing power.
- Nominal change
- +30.5%
- 2019–2025
- Cumulative inflation
- +25.9%
- US CPI, 2019–2025
- Real change
- +3.6%
- After adjusting for inflation
Median salary over time
Social Science Research Assistants median pay by year, going back through the available BLS releases.
- 2025
- $61,990
- 2024
- $58,040
- 2023
- $56,400
- 2022
- $50,470
- 2021
- $49,720
- 2020
- $49,210
- 2019
- $47,510
BLS did not publish a median for 2000–2018, so those years are omitted.
Related occupations
Other occupations in the same field, with median pay for comparison.
- Chemical Technicians
- $60,390
- Hydrologic Technicians
- $64,790
- Biological Technicians
- $57,510
- Food Science Technicians
- $52,130
Common salary questions for Social Science Research Assistants
What does the median salary mean? +
The median is the midpoint of all wages. Half of Social Science Research Assistants workers earn more and half earn less. It is a better measure of typical pay than the average, which can be skewed by very high or very low earners.
Why does pay vary so much by location? +
Local labor markets, cost of living, industry concentration, and employer competition all affect wages. High-cost metros like San Francisco and New York often pay more in nominal terms, though some of that premium is offset by higher living costs.
How current is this salary data? +
This page uses the May 2025 BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release. BLS publishes OEWS data once per year, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period.
What do the percentile ranges tell me? +
The 10th and 90th percentiles show the full pay band. The 25th to 75th percentile range, the middle 50%, is where most workers fall. A wide spread usually means experience, specialization, or location matter a lot for this occupation.