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How Much Does a Social Science Research Assistant Make?
A social science research assistant in the US earns a median salary of $61,990 a year, or $29.81 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The average is $66,140, and the middle half earn between $48,620 and $77,760.
Social science research assistant pay range
What social science research assistants earn at each point of the pay scale. The 10th percentile is a rough guide to starting pay.
| Percentile | A year | An hour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest 10%) | $38,090 | $18.31 | |
| 25th | $48,620 | $23.38 | |
| Median (50th) | $61,990 | $29.81 | |
| 75th | $77,760 | $37.38 | |
| 90th (top 10%) | $102,070 | $49.07 |
The median is 22% more than the $50,980 median for all US jobs. About 30,640 people work as social science research assistants in the US.
After tax and by period
- A week
- $1,192
- Every two weeks
- $2,384
- Twice a month
- $2,583
- A month
- $5,166
At the median salary, before tax.
Social science research assistant salary by state
Sorted by average pay. Georgia pays social science research assistants the most, at $78,740 a year on average.
| State | Average | Median | Jobs | After tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | $78,740 | $66,620 | 1,840 | After tax |
| Oklahoma | $75,960 | $69,090 | 100 | After tax |
| South Carolina | $73,790 | $64,490 | 500 | After tax |
| Maryland | $73,310 | $65,550 | 700 | After tax |
| District of Columbia | $72,920 | $65,330 | 1,560 | After tax |
| Kentucky | $70,300 | $66,390 | 1,190 | After tax |
| California | $70,260 | $60,250 | 5,300 | After tax |
| Illinois | $69,900 | $64,890 | 250 | After tax |
| New Jersey | $69,260 | $62,760 | 370 | After tax |
| Delaware | $67,240 | $68,230 | 40 | After tax |
| Alaska | $66,830 | $62,230 | 40 | After tax |
| New York | $66,500 | $61,210 | 3,040 | After tax |
| New Mexico | $66,400 | $50,640 | 50 | After tax |
| Texas | $65,950 | $58,070 | 1,180 | After tax |
| North Carolina | $65,260 | $63,710 | 2,930 | After tax |
| New Hampshire | $64,660 | $65,690 | 70 | After tax |
| Rhode Island | $64,380 | $51,420 | 220 | After tax |
| Massachusetts | $63,310 | $63,480 | – | After tax |
| West Virginia | $63,270 | $51,140 | 550 | After tax |
| Idaho | $63,150 | $62,570 | – | After tax |
| Indiana | $62,450 | $57,020 | 210 | After tax |
| Connecticut | $62,260 | $60,110 | 50 | After tax |
| Arizona | $61,990 | $61,680 | 1,020 | After tax |
| Missouri | $61,550 | $65,940 | 750 | After tax |
| Oregon | $61,180 | $56,770 | 220 | After tax |
| Kansas | $60,630 | $67,740 | 170 | After tax |
| Michigan | $60,480 | $60,210 | 750 | After tax |
| Pennsylvania | $60,080 | $54,610 | 860 | After tax |
| Virginia | $59,810 | $53,260 | 700 | After tax |
| Washington | $56,120 | $50,420 | 450 | After tax |
| Louisiana | $55,140 | $52,600 | 340 | After tax |
| Ohio | $54,650 | $50,330 | 240 | After tax |
| Florida | $54,530 | $50,700 | 1,130 | After tax |
| Maine | $54,530 | $50,650 | 120 | After tax |
| Nebraska | $54,460 | $56,190 | 230 | After tax |
| Vermont | $54,280 | $47,510 | 40 | After tax |
| Wisconsin | $52,660 | $48,090 | 110 | After tax |
| Alabama | $52,590 | $53,080 | – | After tax |
| Colorado | $52,370 | $50,430 | 100 | After tax |
| Montana | $48,920 | $49,860 | 30 | After tax |
| Minnesota | $48,410 | $44,920 | 300 | After tax |
| Tennessee | $47,860 | $46,410 | 140 | After tax |
| South Dakota | $41,910 | $44,820 | 40 | After tax |
| Iowa | $40,040 | $40,940 | 140 | After tax |
| Nevada | $32,700 | $26,560 | – | After tax |
A dash means BLS did not publish that figure for the state.
Other science jobs
- Medical scientist $103,410 median
- Occupational health and safety specialist $90,150 median
- Environmental scientist and specialist $82,220 median
- Chemist $91,240 median
- Clinical and counseling psychologist $100,580 median
- Biological technician $57,510 median
- School psychologist $95,990 median
- Chemical technician $60,390 median
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (published 2026), for “Social Science Research Assistants” (SOC 19-4061). Wages are before tax and leave out self-employed workers. All job salaries
About the Job Salaries
Job Salaries shows what more than 500 US jobs pay, from nurses and electricians to software developers and truck drivers. Each job has its median and average salary, hourly and monthly pay, the pay range from the lowest-paid 10% to the top 10%, and a table of pay in every state. The figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, the largest survey of US pay, in its latest release.
How to use it
- 1 Search for a job or pick one from the list.
- 2 Read the median salary, hourly pay and the pay range.
- 3 Check the salary by state to see where the job pays most.
- 4 Open the take-home pay calculator to see the salary after tax.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a social science research assistant make an hour?
The median hourly wage for a social science research assistant is $29.81, and the average is $31.80. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $18.31 an hour and the top 10% over $49.07.
How much does a social science research assistant make a month?
At the median salary of $61,990, a social science research assistant earns about $5,166 a month before tax, or $2,384 every two weeks.
Which state pays social science research assistants the most?
Georgia has the highest average pay for a social science research assistant, at $78,740 a year. Next are Oklahoma and South Carolina. Pay is usually higher where living costs are higher, so compare take-home pay too.
What is the starting salary for a social science research assistant?
The lowest-paid 10% of social science research assistants earn less than $38,090 a year, and the lowest 25% less than $48,620. That is a fair guide to starting pay, which depends on the state, the employer and your experience.
How much do the highest-paid social science research assistants make?
The top 10% earn more than $102,070 a year, and the top 25% more than $77,760.
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