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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
35,330 5.8 % $ 25.75 $ 53,560 1.1 %

Percentile wage estimates for Social Science Research Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.95 $ 18.87 $ 23.66 $ 30.01 $ 39.08
Annual Wage (2) $ 31,090 $ 39,250 $ 49,210 $ 62,420 $ 81,280


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 13,840 0.46 $ 24.20 $ 50,330
Scientific Research and Development Services 13,170 1.75 $ 26.92 $ 55,980
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 2,170 0.04 $ 23.50 $ 48,870
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,270 0.08 $ 30.49 $ 63,430
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 750 0.01 $ 25.32 $ 52,660

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 13,170 1.75 $ 26.92 $ 55,980
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 130 0.66 $ 22.66 $ 47,130
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 13,840 0.46 $ 24.20 $ 50,330
Social Advocacy Organizations 670 0.31 $ 29.32 $ 60,980
Grantmaking and Giving Services 430 0.30 $ 26.96 $ 56,080

Top paying industries for Social Science Research Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Insurance Carriers 50 (7) $ 34.78 $ 72,340
Management of Companies and Enterprises 30 (7) $ 32.18 $ 66,940
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,270 0.08 $ 30.49 $ 63,430
Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations 400 0.10 $ 29.89 $ 62,180
Social Advocacy Organizations 670 0.31 $ 29.32 $ 60,980


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.





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 5,860 0.36 1.40 $ 27.08 $ 56,330
New York 4,730 0.54 2.14 $ 24.24 $ 50,430
District of Columbia 3,760 5.48 21.56 $ 33.22 $ 69,100
North Carolina 2,540 0.59 2.33 $ 23.97 $ 49,850
Texas 1,880 0.15 0.61 $ 18.44 $ 38,350




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 3,760 5.48 21.56 $ 33.22 $ 69,100
North Carolina 2,540 0.59 2.33 $ 23.97 $ 49,850
Arizona 1,620 0.57 2.25 $ 23.76 $ 49,430
New York 4,730 0.54 2.14 $ 24.24 $ 50,430
Massachusetts 1,780 0.53 2.09 $ 32.38 $ 67,360




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)
District of Columbia 3,760 5.48 21.56 $ 33.22 $ 69,100
Massachusetts 1,780 0.53 2.09 $ 32.38 $ 67,360
Rhode Island 40 0.08 0.33 $ 29.82 $ 62,020
Delaware 50 0.11 0.45 $ 29.17 $ 60,680
Connecticut 150 0.10 0.40 $ 28.02 $ 58,280





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 4,450 1.47 5.80 $ 31.75 $ 66,040
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,040 0.34 1.36 $ 26.36 $ 54,830
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,380 0.53 2.10 $ 32.06 $ 66,690
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,210 0.86 3.40 $ 27.00 $ 56,170
Tucson, AZ 930 2.53 9.96 $ 24.60 $ 51,170
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 740 0.13 0.50 $ 26.35 $ 54,810
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN 700 0.68 2.69 $ 21.28 $ 44,260
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 660 0.18 0.72 (8) (8)
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 640 0.30 1.19 $ 22.57 $ 46,950
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 610 0.14 0.55 $ 28.37 $ 59,010




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)
Columbia, MO 330 3.70 14.55 $ 24.54 $ 51,040
Tucson, AZ 930 2.53 9.96 $ 24.60 $ 51,170
Greenville, NC 120 1.59 6.27 $ 19.05 $ 39,610
State College, PA 100 1.56 6.14 (8) (8)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,450 1.47 5.80 $ 31.75 $ 66,040
Morgantown, WV 80 1.23 4.83 $ 25.90 $ 53,870
Ann Arbor, MI 230 1.09 4.29 $ 18.48 $ 38,440
College Station-Bryan, TX 100 0.93 3.67 $ 14.43 $ 30,000
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,210 0.86 3.40 $ 27.00 $ 56,170
Lincoln, NE 130 0.76 2.98 $ 22.85 $ 47,520




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)
Chattanooga, TN-GA 60 0.25 0.99 $ 33.55 $ 69,780
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,380 0.53 2.10 $ 32.06 $ 66,690
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 4,450 1.47 5.80 $ 31.75 $ 66,040
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 40 0.07 0.29 $ 30.13 $ 62,660
Worcester, MA-CT (8) (8) (8) $ 29.53 $ 61,420
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 610 0.14 0.55 $ 28.37 $ 59,010
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (8) (8) (8) $ 27.36 $ 56,910
Cleveland-Elyria, OH 140 0.14 0.54 $ 27.10 $ 56,370
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,210 0.86 3.40 $ 27.00 $ 56,170
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 70 0.12 0.49 $ 27.00 $ 56,170

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)
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 0.92 (8) (8)

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)
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 40 0.23 0.92 (8) (8)

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)
Southern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 19.57 $ 40,720
Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 15.82 $ 32,890
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) (8) (8) (8) $ 15.72 $ 32,700


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021