SOC 19-4061 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Social Science Research Assistants wages by metro
National median annual wage
$61,990
- 10th percentile
- $38,090
- 25th percentile
- $48,620
- Median
- $61,990
- 75th percentile
- $77,760
- 90th percentile
- $102,070
- Mean
- $66,140
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 30,640.
That median is 21.6% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | 40 | $49,600 | $86,020 | $103,310 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 100 | $53,800 | $84,680 | $136,940 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 570 | $48,950 | $82,500 | $136,090 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 710 | $43,290 | $82,020 | $136,910 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 330 | $44,350 | $75,010 | $132,900 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | 190 | $48,620 | $74,060 | $103,370 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | 70 | $47,390 | $72,710 | $115,660 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 90 | $39,980 | $67,780 | $133,810 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 990 | $52,830 | $67,440 | $149,860 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 670 | $38,140 | $66,520 | $129,160 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 250 | $42,740 | $66,200 | $142,540 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | 100 | $47,100 | $65,740 | $84,100 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 230 | $42,910 | $65,550 | $104,000 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,610 | $39,830 | $65,330 | $107,390 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 540 | $50,550 | $65,330 | $86,150 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,170 | $49,730 | $65,330 | $112,030 |
| Columbia, MO | 160 | $50,390 | $65,050 | $80,850 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 450 | $39,970 | $64,900 | $103,930 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 170 | $37,400 | $64,890 | $116,530 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 90 | $41,190 | $64,650 | $79,420 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,610 | $39,830 | $65,330 | $107,390 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,290 | $38,060 | $59,240 | $97,730 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,170 | $49,730 | $65,330 | $112,030 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 990 | $52,830 | $67,440 | $149,860 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 710 | $43,290 | $82,020 | $136,910 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 670 | $38,140 | $66,520 | $129,160 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | 570 | $48,950 | $82,500 | $136,090 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 570 | $47,140 | $64,290 | $85,810 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 560 | $48,230 | $61,760 | $82,920 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | 540 | $50,550 | $65,330 | $86,150 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 450 | $39,970 | $64,900 | $103,930 |
| Tucson, AZ | 390 | $40,220 | $61,680 | $81,170 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | 370 | $54,760 | $64,220 | $64,220 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | 370 | $42,940 | $51,780 | $66,390 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 370 | $34,380 | $50,800 | $81,520 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 330 | $44,350 | $75,010 | $132,900 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 310 | $41,220 | $52,890 | $82,930 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | 300 | $34,970 | $51,140 | $99,090 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 280 | $45,640 | $50,310 | $76,320 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 260 | $38,080 | $45,760 | $61,320 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | 100 | $40,140 | $69,090 | $115,660 |
| Delaware | 40 | $40,400 | $68,230 | $96,770 |
| Kansas | 170 | $43,140 | $67,740 | $67,740 |
| Georgia | 1,840 | $40,650 | $66,620 | $136,810 |
| Kentucky | 1,190 | $45,050 | $66,390 | $106,590 |
| Missouri | 750 | $39,250 | $65,940 | $79,860 |
| New Hampshire | 70 | $37,350 | $65,690 | $93,030 |
| Maryland | 700 | $47,260 | $65,550 | $113,020 |
| District of Columbia | 1,560 | $50,810 | $65,330 | $112,030 |
| Illinois | 250 | $37,460 | $64,890 | $116,530 |
| South Carolina | 500 | $48,200 | $64,490 | $130,300 |
| North Carolina | 2,930 | $49,980 | $63,710 | $81,650 |
| Massachusetts | Not available | $49,500 | $63,480 | $82,130 |
| New Jersey | 370 | $37,960 | $62,760 | $105,390 |
| Idaho | Not available | $48,770 | $62,570 | $80,800 |
| Alaska | 40 | $37,450 | $62,230 | $115,440 |
| Arizona | 1,020 | $47,130 | $61,680 | $82,470 |
| New York | 3,040 | $35,520 | $61,210 | $103,080 |
| California | 5,300 | $38,060 | $60,250 | $117,070 |
| Michigan | 750 | $41,970 | $60,210 | $82,870 |
| Connecticut | 50 | $35,860 | $60,110 | $88,270 |
| Texas | 1,180 | $38,120 | $58,070 | $108,730 |
| Indiana | 210 | $30,580 | $57,020 | $105,750 |
| Oregon | 220 | $48,150 | $56,770 | $85,110 |
| Nebraska | 230 | $37,830 | $56,190 | $78,880 |
| Pennsylvania | 860 | $44,710 | $54,610 | $81,640 |
| Virginia | 700 | $42,550 | $53,260 | $83,760 |
| Alabama | Not available | $52,430 | $53,080 | $57,160 |
| Louisiana | 340 | $43,890 | $52,600 | $64,290 |
| Rhode Island | 220 | $41,990 | $51,420 | $99,720 |
| West Virginia | 550 | $30,330 | $51,140 | $145,770 |
| Florida | 1,130 | $33,190 | $50,700 | $81,520 |
| Maine | 120 | $41,870 | $50,650 | $66,990 |
| New Mexico | 50 | $40,250 | $50,640 | $102,950 |
| Colorado | 100 | $42,590 | $50,430 | $63,610 |
| Washington | 450 | $45,530 | $50,420 | $75,720 |
| Ohio | 240 | $23,770 | $50,330 | $104,420 |
| Montana | 30 | $29,680 | $49,860 | $69,570 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $34,710 | $48,090 | $71,050 |
| Vermont | 40 | $47,510 | $47,510 | $76,650 |
| Tennessee | 140 | $33,120 | $46,410 | $58,500 |
| Minnesota | 300 | $38,080 | $44,920 | $68,070 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $28,260 | $44,820 | $50,670 |
| Iowa | 140 | $22,260 | $40,940 | $58,470 |
| Nevada | Not available | $24,960 | $26,560 | $47,830 |
| Utah | 500 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Chemists
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Social Science Research Assistants?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Social Science Research Assistants is $61,990. Employment is 30,640.
How does Social Science Research Assistants pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Social Science Research Assistants is 21.6% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Social Science Research Assistants?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Flagstaff, AZ is highest on this page's list at $86,020.