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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

19-4061 Social Science Research Assistants

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. Excludes “Teaching Assistants, Postsecondary” (25-9044).


National estimates for Social Science Research Assistants
Industry profile for Social Science Research Assistants
Geographic profile for Social Science Research Assistants

National estimates for Social Science Research Assistants:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Social Science Research Assistants:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
28,720 1.6 % $ 27.77 $ 57,760 1.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for Social Science Research Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 16.28 $ 20.18 $ 24.26 $ 30.82 $ 39.59
Annual Wage (2) $ 33,860 $ 41,980 $ 50,470 $ 64,100 $ 82,350


Industry profile for Social Science Research Assistants:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Social Science Research Assistants are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Social Science Research Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Social Science Research Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 13,690 0.45 $ 27.17 $ 56,500
Scientific Research and Development Services 9,330 1.07 $ 29.80 $ 61,990
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 900 0.02 $ 26.82 $ 55,790
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 840 0.02 $ 24.82 $ 51,620
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 810 0.10 $ 21.45 $ 44,620

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Social Science Research Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Scientific Research and Development Services 9,330 1.07 $ 29.80 $ 61,990
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 13,690 0.45 $ 27.17 $ 56,500
Social Advocacy Organizations 460 0.19 $ 26.10 $ 54,280
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 810 0.10 $ 21.45 $ 44,620
Grantmaking and Giving Services 150 0.10 $ 24.40 $ 50,750

Top paying industries for Social Science Research Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 250 0.06 $ 32.76 $ 68,140
Management of Companies and Enterprises 160 0.01 $ 32.00 $ 66,560
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 80 0.01 $ 30.52 $ 63,470
Scientific Research and Development Services 9,330 1.07 $ 29.80 $ 61,990
Elementary and Secondary Schools 140 (7) $ 28.42 $ 59,120


Geographic profile for Social Science Research Assistants:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Social Science Research Assistants are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Social Science Research Assistants, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of social science research assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Social Science Research Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,230 0.30 1.53 $ 31.55 $ 65,620
New York 2,920 0.32 1.65 $ 27.86 $ 57,960
North Carolina 2,920 0.63 3.23 $ 26.03 $ 54,150
District of Columbia 1,970 2.85 14.68 $ 32.45 $ 67,500
Georgia 1,310 0.28 1.46 $ 35.77 $ 74,390


Map of location quotient of social science research assistants by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Social Science Research Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 1,970 2.85 14.68 $ 32.45 $ 67,500
North Carolina 2,920 0.63 3.23 $ 26.03 $ 54,150
West Virginia 380 0.57 2.91 $ 22.96 $ 47,760
Utah 540 0.33 1.70 $ 25.99 $ 54,070
New Mexico 260 0.32 1.66 $ 28.49 $ 59,270


Map of annual mean wages of social science research assistants by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Social Science Research Assistants:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Georgia 1,310 0.28 1.46 $ 35.77 $ 74,390
District of Columbia 1,970 2.85 14.68 $ 32.45 $ 67,500
California 5,230 0.30 1.53 $ 31.55 $ 65,620
Wisconsin (8) (8) (8) $ 31.44 $ 65,390
Delaware 90 0.20 1.03 $ 30.54 $ 63,510



Map of employment of social science research assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Social Science Research Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,680 0.89 4.56 $ 31.04 $ 64,570
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 2,310 0.25 1.30 $ 29.85 $ 62,090
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,610 1.08 5.55 $ 30.81 $ 64,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,550 0.25 1.31 $ 30.44 $ 63,320
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,040 0.43 2.24 $ 35.45 $ 73,740
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 820 0.78 4.00 $ 22.06 $ 45,880
Tucson, AZ 740 1.95 10.06 $ 25.47 $ 52,980
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 580 0.21 1.09 $ 41.54 $ 86,400
Athens-Clarke County, GA 520 5.91 30.43 $ 29.39 $ 61,140
Salt Lake City, UT 500 0.64 3.30 $ 26.28 $ 54,670


Map of location quotient of social science research assistants by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Social Science Research Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Athens-Clarke County, GA 520 5.91 30.43 $ 29.39 $ 61,140
Tucson, AZ 740 1.95 10.06 $ 25.47 $ 52,980
Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC 130 1.67 8.58 $ 27.20 $ 56,570
Greenville, NC 110 1.38 7.13 $ 20.00 $ 41,600
Charlottesville, VA 150 1.34 6.92 $ 21.10 $ 43,890
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,610 1.08 5.55 $ 30.81 $ 64,090
Ann Arbor, MI 230 1.07 5.50 $ 20.08 $ 41,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,680 0.89 4.56 $ 31.04 $ 64,570
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 820 0.78 4.00 $ 22.06 $ 45,880
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 310 0.73 3.78 $ 21.07 $ 43,820


Map of annual mean wages of social science research assistants by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Social Science Research Assistants:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 580 0.21 1.09 $ 41.54 $ 86,400
Columbia, SC 30 0.09 0.46 $ 37.78 $ 78,590
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,040 0.43 2.24 $ 35.45 $ 73,740
Springfield, MA-CT 210 0.67 3.46 $ 34.17 $ 71,060
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (8) (8) (8) $ 32.58 $ 67,760
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,680 0.89 4.56 $ 31.04 $ 64,570
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,610 1.08 5.55 $ 30.81 $ 64,090
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,550 0.25 1.31 $ 30.44 $ 63,320
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH (8) (8) (8) $ 30.38 $ 63,200
Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC 130 0.32 1.63 $ 30.35 $ 63,120

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Social Science Research Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.64 $ 22.10 $ 45,960
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 50 0.26 1.36 $ 23.28 $ 48,410
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.42 $ 29.60 $ 61,570

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Social Science Research Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.64 $ 22.10 $ 45,960
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 50 0.26 1.36 $ 23.28 $ 48,410
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.42 $ 29.60 $ 61,570

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Social Science Research Assistants:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.08 0.42 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 50 0.26 1.36 $ 23.28 $ 48,410
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.64 $ 22.10 $ 45,960


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023