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Job outlook for research assistants in the United States
Research assistant job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected research assistant job growth rate is 19% from 2018-2028.
About 150,300 new jobs for research assistants are projected over the next decade.
Research assistant salaries have increased 14% for research assistants in the last 5 years.
There are over 191,965 research assistants currently employed in the United States.
There are 51,080 active research assistant job openings in the US.
The average research assistant salary is $42,896.
Are research assistant jobs in demand?
Research assistant job and salary trends over time
Research assistant jobs over time
Research assistant job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 191,965 | 0.06% |
| 2020 | 200,049 | 0.06% |
| 2019 | 201,054 | 0.06% |
| 2018 | 170,709 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 162,366 | 0.05% |
Average research assistant salary over time
Research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,896 | $20.62 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $41,414 | $19.91 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $40,656 | $19.55 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $40,098 | $19.28 | +6.5% |
| 2021 | $37,649 | $18.10 | +1.7% |
Research assistant jobs by state
Most common states for research assistants
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,486 | 36% |
| 2 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 243 | 35% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 93 | 15% |
| 4 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 587 | 14% |
| 5 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 931 | 13% |
| 6 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 708 | 13% |
| 7 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 708 | 13% |
| 8 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 176 | 13% |
| 9 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 136 | 13% |
| 10 | Alaska | 739,795 | 93 | 13% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 224 | 12% |
| 12 | California | 39,536,653 | 4,248 | 11% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 994 | 11% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 644 | 11% |
| 15 | Delaware | 961,939 | 106 | 11% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,263 | 10% |
| 17 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 203 | 10% |
| 18 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,123 | 9% |
| 19 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 802 | 9% |
| 20 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 534 | 9% |
Most common cities for research assistants
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keizer | 5 | 13% | $42,761 |
| 2 | Cambridge | 13 | 12% | $53,029 |
| 3 | East Lansing | 5 | 10% | $40,695 |
| 4 | Boston | 62 | 9% | $53,085 |
| 5 | Baltimore | 47 | 8% | $41,035 |
| 6 | Rockville | 5 | 7% | $40,706 |
| 7 | Detroit | 33 | 5% | $41,288 |
| 8 | Orlando | 7 | 3% | $40,448 |
| 9 | Washington | 13 | 2% | $51,473 |
| 10 | Miami | 8 | 2% | $41,207 |
| 11 | Tallahassee | 4 | 2% | $39,977 |
| 12 | Los Angeles | 21 | 1% | $49,916 |
| 13 | Chicago | 20 | 1% | $50,272 |
| 14 | Las Vegas | 9 | 1% | $40,994 |
| 15 | Atlanta | 6 | 1% | $42,592 |
| 16 | Houston | 6 | 0% | $32,220 |
Research Assistant job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of research assistant experts
Northeastern State University
SUNY Stony Brook
Washburn University of Topeka
Pepperdine University
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Dallas
University of San Diego
Northwestern University
New Mexico State University
Santa Fe College
Washington State University
University of Kentucky
Purdue University
Ohio Wesleyan University
University of Nebraska - Omaha
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank David MD, PhD: My main piece of advice is to network. Do tons of informational interviews with folks and then follow up to see if there are possible opportunities or other connections that folks can help you make. Many biotech and pharma positions go to folks with 'inside tracks' because they are recommended by current employees or already know the hiring manager. Also: be flexible about the type of role whenever possible. For example, if you’re looking at an entry-level lab-based job, don’t get hung up on the specific disease area. Or if you’re interested in regulatory science, cast a broad net and also explore roles in program management and medical writing, which involve similar activities and required skills. Finally: it’s great to look for opportunities at biotech and pharma firms, but don’t forget about contract research organizations, consultancies, and other vendors that serve drug companies. Those types of organizations are often more willing to train folks who are coming straight out of school, and those positions are great stepping stones to eventually move 'to the client side' (into drug companies) as experienced hires.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Dulanjani Wijayasekara Ph.D.: Having experience and a well highlighted skill set to match the job description. This can be obtained by pursuing advanced education and training, such as obtaining a master's or doctoral degree in the field you are interested in.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dulanjani Wijayasekara Ph.D.: Biology is a vast field with a lot of opportunities. The highest paying jobs in the field include health care, biostatisticians, data analysts, ecologists, genetic counselors, pharmacists, molecular biologists and research scientists/technicians in pharmaceutical companies. Depending on what area you would like to focus on, it would be a good idea to improve some basic skill sets that will give you an added advantage in the job market. If you are a fresh graduate many online certificate courses can be completed to give you these additional skills. You can improve upon IT skills such as biotechnology and computer literacy, research skills, and data analysis including biostatistics. You also can get some research experience by either volunteering in research labs or by gaining a master’s degree in molecular biology. This will open up many more job opportunities for you in the pharmaceutical area. Find out what career you love and work towards that by improving your skills and experience.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Ross Weatherman Ph.D.: The jobs that our graduates in biochemistry and molecular biology are taking are really diverse in terms of the types of companies and in the types of job requirements. They are not all big jobs in pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Many start working for smaller diagnostic labs or support labs for manufacturing or food processing. Also, I tell our students to expect to change jobs or employers in a few years. For our students, the job market seems to be pretty dynamic for them in the first 5-10 years either because they choose to change jobs or their companies go through some sort of change.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: One cannot get high salaries with a bachelor's degree in biology. To maximize your future salary you need to get a terminal degree such as PhD or MD. Alternatively one could go to law school. If you still want to begin working after BSc, look for industry jobs; these would be low-level technicians but make much more money than in academia.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Vitaly Citovsky: Multi-prong advice: try to get a higher degree, look for jobs that you enjoy (e.g., research, patient care) rather than chase the money.
Susan Bjerke
Associate Professor of BiologyWashburn University of Topeka
Biological And Physical Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Susan Bjerke: For a science graduate just beginning their career, I recommend applying to several different jobs. Some of those jobs may be in locations you aren’t crazy about or may involve tasks outside your comfort zone. This is your chance to spread your wings and take a chance! There are a lot of jobs out there for graduates with an undergraduate degree in the sciences, but you may not start in your dream job. That’s okay! There are many things that can be learned from a not-perfect job, and the skills you learn can provide a launch pad to the job you do want.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Susan Bjerke: Maximizing your salary is important, but don’t forget that jobs can come with other benefits that may compensate for a lower starting salary. For instance, maybe you get to work out in the field instead of being tied to a desk all day. Maybe you have the opportunity to work from home some of the time. Some employers offer matches for retirement plans or discounted health insurance for spouses. Negotiating for the best salary you can makes sense, but also look into those intangibles!
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Susan Bjerke: Some of the skills that will be important in the next 3-5 years will be general critical thinking skills and the ability to adapt to changing technology. Almost all science fields are increasingly dependent on technology, so being able to learn new skills and change the way you do things in your job will be important. Being an effective communicator, both in writing and orally, is an overlooked skill in the sciences and is always an important asset.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: I do not have an answer for this. My response would be to be proactive during undergraduate studies, to discern where you find joy and curiosity. Pursue that topic. I do not think that the salary should be the priority when considering careers.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Rachel Tan Ph.D.: Listen and be curious: ask questions (the why and how?), ask for opportunities, do extra readings outside of work. Aim for excellence: treat each assigned task as priority–go above and beyond. Connect: talk to colleagues, your boss, staff–be excited to learn from others. Be grateful: constantly reflect on the small details that led you to this point, for gratitude gives you foundation for joy during your career.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Qing Li: Develop your specialty and be good at one thing; jobs will be after you rather than you after jobs.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: Know your worth when negotiating your salary/contract, and know competitive rates from similar positions being marketed.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Dr. Prajay Patel Ph.D.: Think and operate one level above your position. For example, as a senior graduate student, you should operate like a postdoc. Postdocs work on independent research while learning how to write grants, so as a senior graduate student, you should consider looking for fellowships and similar funding opportunities. Learn what your supervisors/bosses are doing effectively that you can apply when you are in their position. Also, know your strengths and weaknesses. Acknowledge to yourself that you have weaknesses and try to mitigate them, but figure out where you can showcase your strengths in the projects you will get. Finally, keep your doors open to doing and learning new things. You never know what skills you learn early in your career that can pay off later.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nicole Danos PhD: In the next 3-5 years techniques in Biotech will constantly improve. Which will mean three things:
a) there will be much more data to sort through! It will be important to let the questions being asked direct data analyses.
b) workers will need to be nimble to improve their lab skills. The same principles of good practices will apply!
c) AI tools will be in the workplace. Workers will need to understand these tools and know whether or not they are appropriate for what they are trying to use, and not trust them blindly.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Nathaniel Stern: Within academic physics, your potential can be maximized by doing impactful work in graduate school that matters to other people. The next step is to communicate this impact broadly, and then figure out how to take the next step in the field. That is a lot of steps, but if one can successfully do those things in graduate school, they can build the profile, community, and intellectual leadership to demand the highest salary. Outside of academic physics, the requirements are probably not that different, but I do not have explicit knowledge of them myself. So I would fall back on the standard goals of innovation and communication, which should help one succeed in any knowledge-related career.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melanie Wilcox Ph.D., ABPP: This can vary widely - experimental psychologists can do so many different things! They are commonly involved in research, which can look like survey design and implementation, experiment design and implementation, data analysis, writing, presenting, or consulting. They may be involved in design such as in the case of mobile apps or other experiences and products with which people interact.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: I think it is hard to know how to maximize one's salary potential at the outset, other than being a good team player and having the skills and personality to 'fill in' and pivot as needed by an employer. With scientists, the interest in the scientific questions/problems/goals often times drive the practitioners in the discipline rather than a huge 'paycheck touchdown' type approach.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Michael Marchetti: My general advice to graduating biology majors would be to get actual hands-on experience in whatever field/sub-discipline you decide you want to specialize in. This could take various forms depending on your circumstances, for example: an internship (even short term), a job in a field that is similar or adjacent to the field you are interested in, pursue a master's degree in the field, or even volunteer in some capacity while you get a job to pay the bills, etc. It seems that in today's professional science environment that having some experience in the thing you want to do helps a lot to get your foot in the door.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Meghan McGee-Lawrence Ph.D.: Cast a wide net! A huge variety of career paths can be pursued with a degree like this, including industry, academic research, healthcare, education, and more. It is a very versatile degree, and can be a foundation for a multitude of different professions. Talk to recent graduates from your program (as many as possible!) and see what they did with their degree – the more information you can collect, the better prepared you’ll be to seek out opportunities yourself. Take the time to figure out where your interests lie – and understand that you may have to try a few different paths out before you find the right one for you. The first position you land after graduation doesn’t have to be the job you perform for the next 30 years of your life – so use each opportunity as a learning experience to figure out what you’d really like to do long-term.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Michael Marks: A few things: First, feel free to say "no" to things. As a new faculty member, more senior faculty may think they are being helpful by suggesting you take service duties, committee work, etc. But take your first year or two to get established. If you feel too many "opportunities" are coming your way, a good response might be "That sounds great, maybe that can be something I take on once I get my lab established." Second, advertise yourself. Build a website with your own domain, off of your employer's servers. This is a great way to attract graduate advisees and lab members, post your publications and data, and make yourself available to people interested in your research. I say get your own domain because employers will often change things with hosting, which can cause access issues. Finally, even if you don't post, follow some social media accounts of prominent figures in the field to keep abreast of developments, debates, and current issues.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Marks: This will largely depend on where you work, but if your work is fundable, landing grants and bringing in money will make you more valuable, for one. So tout your potential for securing funding. Apply for early career awards as well. If you have unused startup funds, you can also ask to use it for summer funding in some institutions. With startup funds, use it or lose it; don't let that money go to waste.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Jeff Heslep: Find a starting job that gives you a wide range of work to perform. The more experience you can gain during the first few years will help you to hone your skills, decide what areas interest you the most, and give you the opportunity to choose. Learn as much as you can about the various equipment, analytical techniques, processes, and how to troubleshoot minor problems. Take the initiative and ask to learn how to use instruments you aren't familiar with. It is unlikely someone will deny you the opportunity to broaden your knowledge. Take every chance you have to network and get to know the people within your local biotechnology industry. Networking plays a major role in employment opportunities. Work on your written and verbal communication skills. Communicating well will help you stand out. Being able to effectively convey complex scientific concepts in such a way that anyone can understand it can be a powerful skill.
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeff Heslep: A good entry-level starting salary is great, but it may not maximize your salary potential if the job doesn't help you grow. You might want to take learning opportunities and experience over money early on in your career. Focus on experience, learning, and growth early so your salary potential in the long run will be much higher. Be wary of companies offering a sign-on bonus for certain positions. The reason companies need to offer a sign-on bonus for specific positions is often because the job is very demanding and unpleasant, or they are positions that stagnate and offer little growth opportunities. You'll have plenty of time to advance and make a higher salary after you have a good system of self-improvement in place and ways to master your skills.
What will help Research Assistants increase their earning potential?
Lindsey du Toit: Take every opportunity you can to learn, network, and build an effective team of people that bring a greater breadth and depth of skills and expertise to the work on which you will be focusing. Cultivate a life-long sense of intellectual curiosity and learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Treat ignorance as an opportunity to learn. Questions demonstrate you want to understand the situation/problem effectively and that you are paying attention. Always demonstrate integrity in your work. It is one of the most valuable traits you can bring to your career. Be kind and supportive of your colleagues.
Dr. David Harmon
Professor of Animal & Food SciencesUniversity of Kentucky
Animal Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Dr. David Harmon: Reading and writing skills are never more important. If you want to do research you have to compete for funds.
Yan Cong
Purdue University
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What Research Assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yan Cong: AI singularity, Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), et cetera are topics that trigger a lot of debate nowadays and they will be prevalent in the near future. Perspectives from humanities and linguistics would contribute to the ongoing debate and provide new opportunities for future innovative technologies that are linked to languages, linguistics and humanities.
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Chelsea Vadnie PhD: There are many specific professions within neuroscience since it is a broad and interdisciplinary field (e.g. science writer, consultant, nurse, statistician, etc.). A neuroscientist generally refers to someone who studies the structure and function of the nervous system. Neuroscientists often act as research scientists working within academia, industry, or a government agency. The specific day-to-day tasks of a neuroscientist will vary depending on the individual’s position and subfield. The daily work of a neuroscientist acting as a research scientist or professor may involve mentoring and teaching, carrying out service work for your organization or subfield, reading and interpreting the literature, grant writing, designing experiments, conducting experiments, analyzing data, preparing and delivering scientific talks, and publishing research papers.
Andrew Riquier Ph.D.
InstructorUniversity of Nebraska - Omaha
Neurobiology And Neurosciences
What general advice would you give to a Research Assistant?
Andrew Riquier Ph.D.: Apply for the positions you want, even if you feel underqualified. I know plenty of people who have applied for jobs they didn't quite meet the requirements for, and got hired for other reasons. In my experience, many recent graduates choose to take time to strengthen their resumes by retaking classes, working jobs they don't particularly want to get experience, etc. There is some value in that, particularly if you have been unsuccessful attaining the position you want, or if you want to see if you even enjoy that type of work. But if you are confident in what you want to do, go for it; in the worst-case scenario, you are in the same position you would be if you hadn't applied, but now you have experience applying and have potentially gained a contact in the field.