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Best states for a research assistant
Quoted expert
David Woodward
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Not all states present equal opportunity for employees, and when it comes to research assistant jobs, it's no different. We know how hard job search can be, and in order to make your life a little easier, we have the information you need in order to determine where you might want to start your job search. Our research shows that New Jersey is the best state in the country for research assistants.
To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for research assistants.If you are currently seeking employment as a research assistant, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.
10 best states for research assistants in 2026
1. New Jersey
Total research assistant jobs: 994 Average annual salary: $58,492 Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
2. Massachusetts
Total research assistant jobs: 2,486 Average annual salary: $53,102 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 2.73
3. Alaska
Total research assistant jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $54,653 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 1.12
4. Vermont
Total research assistant jobs: 93 Average annual salary: $50,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.22
5. California
Total research assistant jobs: 4,248 Average annual salary: $50,227 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
6. District of Columbia
Total research assistant jobs: 243 Average annual salary: $51,503 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location Quotient: 1.46
7. Illinois
Total research assistant jobs: 1,123 Average annual salary: $49,989 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 0.95
8. Connecticut
Total research assistant jobs: 299 Average annual salary: $50,484 Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Location Quotient: 0.91
9. Rhode Island
Total research assistant jobs: 136 Average annual salary: $44,240 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.13
10. Pennsylvania
Total research assistant jobs: 1,263 Average annual salary: $43,364 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
Research assistant jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a research assistant
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a research assistant
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,492 | $37,000 | 9,005,644 | 994 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $53,102 | $35,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,486 |
| 3 | Alaska | $54,653 | $38,000 | 739,795 | 93 |
| 4 | Vermont | $50,955 | $34,000 | 623,657 | 93 |
| 5 | California | $50,227 | $32,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,248 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $51,503 | $32,000 | 693,972 | 243 |
| 7 | Illinois | $49,989 | $32,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,123 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $50,484 | $32,000 | 3,588,184 | 299 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $44,240 | $29,000 | 1,059,639 | 136 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $43,364 | $27,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,263 |
| 11 | Delaware | $47,925 | $30,000 | 961,939 | 106 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $42,775 | $28,000 | 1,342,795 | 176 |
| 13 | New York | $45,645 | $29,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,365 |
| 14 | Oregon | $42,603 | $27,000 | 4,142,776 | 587 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,580 | $27,000 | 10,273,419 | 808 |
| 16 | Virginia | $45,277 | $28,000 | 8,470,020 | 802 |
| 17 | Michigan | $41,084 | $26,000 | 9,962,311 | 747 |
| 18 | Idaho | $42,781 | $28,000 | 1,716,943 | 117 |
| 19 | Georgia | $42,700 | $28,000 | 10,429,379 | 723 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $39,190 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 708 |
| 21 | Maryland | $40,887 | $26,000 | 6,052,177 | 644 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $40,229 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 114 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $41,838 | $28,000 | 4,684,333 | 165 |
| 24 | Florida | $40,693 | $27,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,286 |
| 25 | Washington | $38,201 | $25,000 | 7,405,743 | 931 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $39,842 | $26,000 | 755,393 | 60 |
| 27 | Maine | $38,630 | $26,000 | 1,335,907 | 113 |
| 28 | Ohio | $38,763 | $25,000 | 11,658,609 | 775 |
| 29 | Nevada | $41,054 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 109 |
| 30 | Missouri | $38,237 | $25,000 | 6,113,532 | 534 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,986 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 116 |
| 32 | Colorado | $37,821 | $25,000 | 5,607,154 | 708 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $38,382 | $25,000 | 5,795,483 | 407 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $36,551 | $24,000 | 2,088,070 | 203 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $38,441 | $25,000 | 3,004,279 | 120 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $35,166 | $23,000 | 1,920,076 | 224 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $37,988 | $24,000 | 4,454,189 | 195 |
| 38 | Indiana | $36,880 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 482 |
| 39 | Arizona | $36,746 | $23,000 | 7,016,270 | 479 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $35,556 | $25,000 | 1,427,538 | 66 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $37,322 | $24,000 | 5,024,369 | 160 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,453 | $21,000 | 6,715,984 | 482 |
| 43 | Utah | $32,414 | $21,000 | 3,101,833 | 272 |
| 44 | Iowa | $33,835 | $22,000 | 3,145,711 | 247 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $32,610 | $21,000 | 869,666 | 82 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,633 | $22,000 | 2,913,123 | 190 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $26,498 | $18,000 | 579,315 | 54 |
| 48 | Texas | $31,634 | $20,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,563 |
| 49 | Montana | $30,209 | $20,000 | 1,050,493 | 93 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,201 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 196 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,884 | $20,000 | 4,874,747 | 148 |
Highest paying states for research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. Research Assistant Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,492 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $53,102 |
| 3 | Alaska | $54,653 |
| 4 | Vermont | $50,955 |
| 5 | California | $50,227 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $51,503 |
| 7 | Illinois | $49,989 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $50,484 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $44,240 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $43,364 |
| 11 | Delaware | $47,925 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $42,775 |
| 13 | New York | $45,645 |
| 14 | Oregon | $42,603 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,580 |
| 16 | Virginia | $45,277 |
| 17 | Michigan | $41,084 |
| 18 | Idaho | $42,781 |
| 19 | Georgia | $42,700 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $39,190 |
| 21 | Maryland | $40,887 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $40,229 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $41,838 |
| 24 | Florida | $40,693 |
| 25 | Washington | $38,201 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $39,842 |
| 27 | Maine | $38,630 |
| 28 | Ohio | $38,763 |
| 29 | Nevada | $41,054 |
| 30 | Missouri | $38,237 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,986 |
| 32 | Colorado | $37,821 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $38,382 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $36,551 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $38,441 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $35,166 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $37,988 |
| 38 | Indiana | $36,880 |
| 39 | Arizona | $36,746 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $35,556 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $37,322 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,453 |
| 43 | Utah | $32,414 |
| 44 | Iowa | $33,835 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $32,610 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,633 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $26,498 |
| 48 | Texas | $31,634 |
| 49 | Montana | $30,209 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,201 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,884 |
Expert opinions on the best states for research assistants
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for research assistants to find work opportunities?
David Woodward
Director, Museum Studies Program, University of Minnesota Duluth
While the traditional path to employment in History has been through education licensure (secondary education) or through graduate degrees to become university faculty, most historians and heritage professionals are employed outside of academia. Prior to COVID 19, the field of public History was expanding. Public History covers museums, historic site management, historic preservation and compliance, and heritage interpretation. Many of our graduates over the past couple of years have found positions with local and regional museums and historical societies; others have found employment in historic preservation.
The preservation industry revolves around certain local, state, and federal laws that protect heritage and historic sites. The most comprehensive of these is the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. There are also state and local ordinances that also address historic preservation. Federal, state, and local governments, along with private developers, often enlist historians and public History professionals to help comply with these regulations. Most large infrastructure projects (roads, mines, pipelines, energy development) have a historic preservation component.
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Updated January 8, 2025