Research Associate Salary
Research Associate Salary Estimate
$60,166
How much does a Research Associate make?
The average salary for a research associate in the United States is $60,166. Research associate salaries typically range between $41,000 and $87,000 a year. The average hourly rate for research associates is $28.93 per hour.
Location, education, and experience impacts how much a research associate can expect to make. Research associates make the most in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, and Alaska.
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The average salary for a research associate is $60,166 in the US. -
The average research associate salary ranges between $41,000 and $87,000 in the US. -
Hourly rates for research associates in the US typically range between $19 and $41 an hour. -
The average research associate salary is $71,991 in Massachusetts, $69,731 in New Jersey, and $68,933 in Connecticut. These are the three highest-paying states for research associates in the US. -
The Citadel has the highest average salary for research associates. -
Finance is the highest-paying industry for research associates in the US.
Highest Paying States For Research Associates
- State View
- County View
Research Associate average salary by State
| Rank | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $71,991 | $34.61 | 3,055 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $69,731 | $33.52 | 1,219 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $63,145 | $30.36 | 230 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $68,933 | $33.14 | 365 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $68,059 | $32.72 | 297 |
| 6 | Delaware | $65,974 | $31.72 | 133 |
| 7 | Oregon | $59,457 | $28.59 | 668 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $58,703 | $28.22 | 170 |
| 9 | Illinois | $61,086 | $29.37 | 1,267 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $56,461 | $27.14 | 1,648 |
| 11 | Alaska | $64,145 | $30.84 | 94 |
| 12 | New York | $60,060 | $28.88 | 1,967 |
| 13 | California | $60,536 | $29.10 | 5,486 |
| 14 | Georgia | $61,926 | $29.77 | 832 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $57,606 | $27.70 | 965 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $56,675 | $27.25 | 210 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $56,190 | $27.01 | 748 |
| 18 | Maryland | $57,545 | $27.67 | 919 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $54,910 | $26.40 | 145 |
| 20 | Washington | $53,804 | $25.87 | 1,212 |
| 21 | Idaho | $56,334 | $27.08 | 144 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $57,255 | $27.53 | 211 |
| 23 | Florida | $55,934 | $26.89 | 1,396 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $55,230 | $26.55 | 211 |
| 25 | Virginia | $53,766 | $25.85 | 1,063 |
| 26 | Colorado | $52,194 | $25.09 | 735 |
| 27 | Ohio | $50,974 | $24.51 | 928 |
| 28 | Maine | $52,248 | $25.12 | 128 |
| 29 | Missouri | $50,372 | $24.22 | 659 |
| 30 | Arizona | $52,510 | $25.25 | 534 |
| 31 | Indiana | $50,850 | $24.45 | 540 |
| 32 | Michigan | $50,397 | $24.23 | 794 |
| 33 | Vermont | $48,512 | $23.32 | 108 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $52,632 | $25.30 | 188 |
| 35 | Nevada | $52,002 | $25.00 | 134 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $56,419 | $27.12 | 72 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $49,889 | $23.99 | 506 |
| 38 | Utah | $48,658 | $23.39 | 334 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $49,777 | $23.93 | 134 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $46,488 | $22.35 | 636 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $47,067 | $22.63 | 245 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $46,504 | $22.36 | 62 |
| 43 | North Dakota | $47,755 | $22.96 | 70 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $48,021 | $23.09 | 126 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $43,355 | $20.84 | 108 |
| 46 | Kansas | $45,420 | $21.84 | 216 |
| 47 | Texas | $41,885 | $20.14 | 1,930 |
| 48 | Montana | $41,781 | $20.09 | 109 |
| 49 | Iowa | $43,022 | $20.68 | 258 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $40,614 | $19.53 | 218 |
| 51 | Alabama | $41,883 | $20.14 | 178 |
Highest Paying Cities For Research Associates
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $72,205 | $34.71 | 34 |
| 2 | Newark, NJ | $69,764 | $33.54 | 4 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $68,100 | $32.74 | 35 |
| 4 | Newark, DE | $65,978 | $31.72 | 4 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $63,461 | $30.51 | 29 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $61,616 | $29.62 | 19 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $61,394 | $29.52 | 27 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $60,288 | $28.98 | 130 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $59,206 | $28.46 | 36 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $58,561 | $28.15 | 4 |
| 11 | Miami, FL | $57,821 | $27.80 | 52 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $57,794 | $27.79 | 22 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $56,868 | $27.34 | 54 |
| 14 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,168 | $27.00 | 9 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $54,420 | $26.16 | 27 |
Here Are The Five Most In Demand Cities Right Now:
Research Associates Salary Details
What is a Research Associate's Salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 75th Percentile | $73,000 | $6,083 | $35 |
| Average | $60,166 | $5,014 | $29 |
| 25th Percentile | $49,000 | $4,083 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest Paying Types of Research Associates
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientist | $97,344 | $8,112 | $46.80 | 62,467 |
| Laboratory Researcher | $27,760 | $2,313 | $13.35 | 57,359 |
| Graduate Research Student | $34,658 | $2,888 | $16.66 | 58,921 |
| Research And Development Technician | $83,552 | $6,963 | $40.17 | 111,268 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
How Would You Rate The Starting Salaries For Research Associates, As Well As The Prospects For Salary Advancement?
David Simon
Professor, Stonehill College
According to the American Institute of Physics Employment & Careers Report in Physics (available at aip.org/statistics/reports/employments-and-careers-physics), they are starting salaries for new physics Ph.D.'s range roughly from $40k - $65k for academic positions, $60k-$75k for government positions, and $85k-115$ in the private sector. Starting salaries for recent graduates with bachelor's degrees range from about $30k-$70k. In all employment areas, salaries grow at a reasonable rate with increased experience and seniority. The unemployment rate for graduates at both the bachelor's and Ph.D. levels have been well below 10% in recent years.
In most cases, academic positions have significantly lower starting salaries than industry, since the standard academic salary is for nine or ten months of teaching rather than for 12 months. However, the tradeoff is that academic jobs allow a greater degree of freedom in how you spend your time and what type of research you pursue. Furthermore, academic salaries can be supplemented by extra teaching, consultant work, or grant-funded summer salaries, which, in many cases, can raise a professor's total income to levels close to what would be earned in the industry. So, although salary is certainly a consideration, ultimately, the deciding factor for what type of career to pursue should be based on what type of work would make you happiest in the long term.Show more
Here are the five companies hiring the most now:
Which Companies Pay Research Associates The Most?
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Citadel | $121,378 | $58.35 | 10 |
| 2 | Urban Institute | $116,707 | $56.11 | 3 |
| 3 | Putnam Investments | $114,559 | $55.08 | |
| 4 | Edelman Financial Engines | $114,270 | $54.94 | 2 |
| 5 | BMO Capital Markets | $113,274 | $54.46 | 6 |
| 6 | $113,097 | $54.37 | 55 | |
| 7 | Neuberger Berman | $111,652 | $53.68 | 8 |
| 8 | Pacific Investment Management Company LLC | $111,228 | $53.48 | 3 |
| 9 | PDT Partners | $110,078 | $52.92 | 2 |
| 10 | Sentinel Benefits | $109,950 | $52.86 | |
| 11 | Wedbush Securities | $109,663 | $52.72 | 1 |
| 12 | AQR Capital Management | $109,174 | $52.49 | |
| 13 | Dodge & Cox | $108,344 | $52.09 | |
| 14 | Microsoft | $107,647 | $51.75 | 131 |
| 15 | Cowen | $107,255 | $51.56 | |
| 16 | International Center for Research on Women | $107,034 | $51.46 | 1 |
| 17 | Coatue Management | $106,671 | $51.28 | |
| 18 | William Blair | $106,348 | $51.13 | |
| 19 | Sterne Agee & Leach Inc | $106,201 | $51.06 | |
| 20 | Royal Bank of Canada | $105,811 | $50.87 | 3 |
How Much Do Research Associates Make In Different Industries?
Here are some examples of how much a research associate salaries can based on different industries:
The finance industry pays research associates an average salary of $84,005
The pharmaceutical industry pay $79,853
The lowest paying industry for research associates is the education industry. Research associates in this industry earn an average salary of $58,655
Highest Paying Industries For Research Associates
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $84,005 | $40.39 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $79,853 | $38.39 |
| 3 | Health Care | $65,943 | $31.70 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $64,996 | $31.25 |
| 5 | Professional | $63,096 | $30.33 |
| 6 | Education | $58,655 | $28.20 |
High Paying Research Associate Jobs
Research Associate Pay Trends
Average Research Associate Salary Over Time
Compare salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research Associate Salary By Year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $60,200 | $28.93 | +3.5% |
| 2022 | $58,100 | $27.93 | +1.8% |
| 2021 | $57,000 | $27.42 | +1.4% |
| 2020 | $56,200 | $27.04 | +6.1% |
| 2019 | $52,800 | $25.39 | +1.6% |
Recently Added Research Associate Salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowen | Equity Research Associate-TMT-Software | New York, NY | 05/02/2023 | $100,000 |
| Jefferies | Equity Research Associate-Product Management | New York, NY | 05/02/2023 | $100,000 |
| Yoh, A Day & Zimmermann Company | Research Associate | Cambridge, MA | 05/02/2023 | $89,741 |
| Federation Bio | Research Associate I | South San Francisco, CA | 05/02/2023 | $60,000 |
| Leidos | Research Associate III | San Antonio, TX | 05/01/2023 | $63,050 |
| Childrens Hospital Los Angeles | HS & Behavioral Research Associate II | Los Angeles, CA | 05/01/2023 | $55,120 |
| Northwell Health | Research Associate | Manhasset, NY | 05/01/2023 | $41,780 |
| Takeda Pharmaceutical | Research Associate II, Global Biologics | San Diego, CA | 05/01/2023 | $63,700 |
| Pyramid Consulting | USA-Research Associate Scientific II | Round Lake, IL | 05/01/2023 | $73,045 |
| Myflorida | 801245-Economic Research Associate | Tallahassee, FL | 05/01/2023 | $36,883 |
Research Associate Salaries FAQs
What State Pays Research Associates The Most?
Massachusetts pays Research Associates the most in the United States, with an average salary of $71,991 per year, or $34.61 per hour.
How Do I Know If I'm Being Paid Fairly As A Research Associate?
You know if you are being paid fairly as a Research Associate if your pay is close to the average pay for the state you live in. For example, if you live in New Jersey you should be paid close to $69,731 per year.
What Is A Good Starting Salary For A Research Associate?
A good starting salary for a research associate is $38,000 in the United States. That puts you in the 10th percentile of annual income for a research associate in the U.S., which is about what you would expect if you were new to the field. The average salary for research associates is $57,292, but that normally requires some level of experience to achieve. Furthermore, a good starting salary for a research associate can vary by state.
What Does A Research Associate Earn?
A research associate earns between $40,000 per year and $75,000 per year. This number can vary, though, depending on the position.
Although associates don't tend to earn very high starting salaries, a career as a research associate can be a valuable source of experience. Experienced research associates typically earn higher salaries and may have opportunities to advance their careers.
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