Social Science Research Assistants Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for social science research assistants is $61,990, or $29.81 per hour. About 30,640 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $69,090 in Oklahoma to $26,560 in Nevada.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 45 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oklahoma | $69,090 | $33.22 | 100 | 0.29 |
| 2 | Delaware | $68,230 | $32.80 | 40 | 0.47 |
| 3 | Kansas | $67,740 | $32.57 | 170 | 0.60 |
| 4 | Georgia | $66,620 | $32.03 | 1,840 | 1.91 |
| 5 | Kentucky | $66,390 | $31.92 | 1,190 | 3.02 |
| 6 | Missouri | $65,940 | $31.70 | 750 | 1.29 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $65,690 | $31.58 | 70 | 0.54 |
| 8 | Maryland | $65,550 | $31.52 | 700 | 1.29 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $65,330 | $31.41 | 1,560 | 11.25 |
| 10 | Illinois | $64,890 | $31.20 | 250 | 0.21 |
| 11 | South Carolina | $64,490 | $31.00 | 500 | 1.11 |
| 12 | North Carolina | $63,710 | $30.63 | 2,930 | 3.01 |
| 13 | Massachusetts | $63,480 | $30.52 | — | — |
| 14 | New Jersey | $62,760 | $30.18 | 370 | 0.44 |
| 15 | Idaho | $62,570 | $30.08 | — | — |
| 16 | Alaska | $62,230 | $29.92 | 40 | 0.61 |
| 17 | Arizona | $61,680 | $29.65 | 1,020 | 1.59 |
| 18 | New York | $61,210 | $29.43 | 3,040 | 1.59 |
| 19 | California | $60,250 | $28.97 | 5,300 | 1.48 |
| 20 | Michigan | $60,210 | $28.95 | 750 | 0.87 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $60,110 | $28.90 | 50 | 0.15 |
| 22 | Texas | $58,070 | $27.92 | 1,180 | 0.42 |
| 23 | Indiana | $57,020 | $27.41 | 210 | 0.34 |
| 24 | Oregon | $56,770 | $27.29 | 220 | 0.57 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $56,190 | $27.01 | 230 | 1.13 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $54,610 | $26.26 | 860 | 0.72 |
| 27 | Virginia | $53,260 | $25.61 | 700 | 0.86 |
| 28 | Alabama | $53,080 | $25.52 | — | — |
| 29 | Louisiana | $52,600 | $25.29 | 340 | 0.90 |
| 30 | Rhode Island | $51,420 | $24.72 | 220 | 2.23 |
| 31 | West Virginia | $51,140 | $24.59 | 550 | 3.99 |
| 32 | Florida | $50,700 | $24.38 | 1,130 | 0.58 |
| 33 | Maine | $50,650 | $24.35 | 120 | 0.95 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $50,640 | $24.34 | 50 | 0.30 |
| 35 | Colorado | $50,430 | $24.24 | 100 | 0.17 |
| 36 | Washington | $50,420 | $24.24 | 450 | 0.64 |
| 37 | Ohio | $50,330 | $24.20 | 240 | 0.22 |
| 38 | Montana | $49,860 | $23.97 | 30 | 0.31 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $48,090 | $23.12 | 110 | 0.18 |
| 40 | Vermont | $47,510 | $22.84 | 40 | 0.75 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $46,410 | $22.31 | 140 | 0.21 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $44,920 | $21.60 | 300 | 0.52 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $44,820 | $21.55 | 40 | 0.47 |
| 44 | Iowa | $40,940 | $19.68 | 140 | 0.45 |
| 45 | Nevada | $26,560 | $12.77 | — | — |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do social science research assistants make?
The median annual wage for social science research assistants in the United States is $61,990, or $29.81 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $38,090, and the top 10% earn $102,070.
How many social science research assistants are employed in the U.S.?
About 30,640 people work as social science research assistants nationwide.
Which state pays social science research assistants the most?
Oklahoma pays the most at a median of $69,090, followed by Delaware ($68,230) and Kansas ($67,740).
Which state pays social science research assistants the least?
Nevada has the lowest median at $26,560.
Where are social science research assistants jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is District of Columbia at 11.25×.