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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

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)
30,890 2.9 % $ 29.99 $ 62,370 1.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for Social Science Research Assistants:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 17.83 $ 22.18 $ 27.11 $ 33.52 $ 46.50
Annual Wage (2) $ 37,080 $ 46,140 $ 56,400 $ 69,720 $ 96,720


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 12,960 0.42 $ 28.33 $ 58,930
Scientific Research and Development Services 10,340 1.12 $ 32.11 $ 66,790
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 1,370 0.02 $ 27.48 $ 57,150
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,350 0.07 $ 37.99 $ 79,030
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 1,120 0.13 $ 25.44 $ 52,920

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 10,340 1.12 $ 32.11 $ 66,790
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 12,960 0.42 $ 28.33 $ 58,930
Monetary Authorities-Central Bank 50 0.25 $ 31.78 $ 66,100
Social Advocacy Organizations 440 0.17 $ 23.36 $ 48,580
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 1,120 0.13 $ 25.44 $ 52,920

Top paying industries for Social Science Research Assistants:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) 40 0.01 $ 81.70 $ 169,940
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services 1,350 0.07 $ 37.99 $ 79,030
Educational Support Services 230 0.09 $ 33.77 $ 70,240
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories 40 0.01 $ 32.40 $ 67,400
Management of Companies and Enterprises 150 0.01 $ 32.31 $ 67,190


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 2023


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)
New York 3,690 0.39 1.93 $ 30.67 $ 63,790
California 3,440 0.19 0.94 $ 35.39 $ 73,610
North Carolina 3,240 0.68 3.32 $ 27.39 $ 56,960
District of Columbia 2,390 3.40 16.71 $ 35.84 $ 74,550
Georgia 2,100 0.44 2.17 $ 35.93 $ 74,740


Map of location quotient of social science research assistants by state, May 2023


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 2,390 3.40 16.71 $ 35.84 $ 74,550
North Carolina 3,240 0.68 3.32 $ 27.39 $ 56,960
West Virginia 370 0.53 2.61 $ 24.76 $ 51,490
Kentucky 990 0.50 2.48 $ 33.24 $ 69,140
Georgia 2,100 0.44 2.17 $ 35.93 $ 74,740


Map of annual mean wages of social science research assistants by state, May 2023


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 2,100 0.44 2.17 $ 35.93 $ 74,740
District of Columbia 2,390 3.40 16.71 $ 35.84 $ 74,550
California 3,440 0.19 0.94 $ 35.39 $ 73,610
Kentucky 990 0.50 2.48 $ 33.24 $ 69,140
South Carolina 320 0.15 0.72 $ 32.44 $ 67,460



Map of employment of social science research assistants by area, May 2023


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 3,130 1.01 4.98 $ 34.39 $ 71,540
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,080 0.32 1.59 $ 32.22 $ 67,010
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,230 0.44 2.14 $ 40.64 $ 84,520
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,210 0.20 0.96 $ 32.41 $ 67,400
Tucson, AZ 920 2.40 11.81 $ 25.89 $ 53,860
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 720 0.30 1.46 $ 38.46 $ 80,000
Salt Lake City, UT 540 0.67 3.28 $ 26.68 $ 55,500
Austin-Round Rock, TX 530 0.43 2.11 $ 26.42 $ 54,950
Raleigh, NC 490 0.70 3.46 $ 27.88 $ 58,000
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 460 0.69 3.40 $ 38.12 $ 79,280


Map of location quotient of social science research assistants by area, May 2023


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 280 3.06 15.05 $ 25.70 $ 53,460
Tucson, AZ 920 2.40 11.81 $ 25.89 $ 53,860
Greenville, NC 150 1.82 8.95 $ 26.29 $ 54,690
Lansing-East Lansing, MI 350 1.66 8.18 $ 27.35 $ 56,880
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 290 1.26 6.18 $ 30.02 $ 62,440
Lexington-Fayette, KY 290 1.05 5.14 $ 26.38 $ 54,870
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,130 1.01 4.98 $ 34.39 $ 71,540
Charlottesville, VA 90 0.77 3.80 $ 25.94 $ 53,960
Ann Arbor, MI 160 0.76 3.73 $ 21.04 $ 43,770
Raleigh, NC 490 0.70 3.46 $ 27.88 $ 58,000


Map of annual mean wages of social science research assistants by area, May 2023


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 1,230 0.44 2.14 $ 40.64 $ 84,520
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 720 0.30 1.46 $ 38.46 $ 80,000
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 460 0.69 3.40 $ 38.12 $ 79,280
Columbia, SC 30 0.08 0.40 $ 36.67 $ 76,270
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 3,130 1.01 4.98 $ 34.39 $ 71,540
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,210 0.20 0.96 $ 32.41 $ 67,400
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 300 0.07 0.33 $ 32.29 $ 67,160
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA 30 0.17 0.81 $ 32.27 $ 67,120
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,080 0.32 1.59 $ 32.22 $ 67,010
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 220 0.17 0.84 $ 31.79 $ 66,130

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)
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 3.88 $ 23.04 $ 47,910
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.59 $ 24.05 $ 50,030
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 60 0.30 1.49 $ 24.61 $ 51,190
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.28 1.39 $ 21.24 $ 44,170

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)
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 3.88 $ 23.04 $ 47,910
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.59 $ 24.05 $ 50,030
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 60 0.30 1.49 $ 24.61 $ 51,190
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.28 1.39 $ 21.24 $ 44,170

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)
Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area 60 0.30 1.49 $ 24.61 $ 51,190
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 60 0.32 1.59 $ 24.05 $ 50,030
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area 80 0.79 3.88 $ 23.04 $ 47,910
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 40 0.28 1.39 $ 21.24 $ 44,170


About May 2023 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.

(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 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024