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Economist research assistant salary
Average economist research assistant salary
$122,340
Understanding the Salary of Economist Research Assistants
As of October 2025, the average salary for an Economist Research Assistant is $122,340 per year. Salaries can vary based on factors such as experience, location, and the specific industry in which one is employed. For example, entry-level positions may start lower, while those with advanced skills or in high-demand areas can earn significantly more.
Salary Variation by State
Geographic location plays a crucial role in salary differences. States such as California, New York, and Massachusetts typically offer higher salaries compared to the national average. In contrast, regions with a lower cost of living may offer salaries that align more closely with the national average.
Top Paying Cities
Understanding where to find the best opportunities is essential. Cities like San Francisco and New York City often top the list for the highest salaries for this role. Candidates should consider not only salary but also the cost of living in these areas when evaluating potential job offers.
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Where can an Economist Research Assistant earn more?
Average economist research assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for economist research assistants are New York, Virginia, and Oklahoma. The lowest average economist research assistant salary states are Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for economist research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $130,487 | $62.73 |
| 2 | Montana | $131,446 | $63.20 |
| 3 | Virginia | $136,423 | $65.59 |
| 4 | South Dakota | $131,915 | $63.42 |
| 5 | Maine | $123,422 | $59.34 |
| 6 | Minnesota | $121,980 | $58.64 |
| 7 | Oklahoma | $132,316 | $63.61 |
| 8 | Illinois | $122,168 | $58.73 |
| 9 | Ohio | $121,483 | $58.41 |
| 10 | Georgia | $126,362 | $60.75 |
| 11 | New York | $140,561 | $67.58 |
| 12 | Missouri | $116,891 | $56.20 |
| 13 | District of Columbia | $137,571 | $66.14 |
| 14 | Iowa | $121,550 | $58.44 |
| 15 | Utah | $116,760 | $56.13 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $113,515 | $54.57 |
| 17 | California | $117,862 | $56.66 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $113,747 | $54.69 |
| 19 | Kansas | $118,917 | $57.17 |
| 20 | Colorado | $113,550 | $54.59 |
| 21 | Delaware | $113,634 | $54.63 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $110,210 | $52.99 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $114,481 | $55.04 |
| 24 | Maryland | $126,407 | $60.77 |
| 25 | Washington | $118,377 | $56.91 |
| 26 | New Mexico | $103,998 | $50.00 |
| 27 | Michigan | $99,448 | $47.81 |
| 28 | Oregon | $100,032 | $48.09 |
| 29 | Connecticut | $110,012 | $52.89 |
| 30 | Texas | $110,256 | $53.01 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $111,204 | $53.46 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $112,835 | $54.25 |
| 33 | Nevada | $111,277 | $53.50 |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $96,098 | $46.20 |
| 35 | Mississippi | $104,984 | $50.47 |
| 36 | New Jersey | $94,522 | $45.44 |
| 37 | Massachusetts | $99,021 | $47.61 |
| 38 | North Carolina | $98,378 | $47.30 |
| 39 | Alaska | $97,879 | $47.06 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $98,871 | $47.53 |
| 41 | Indiana | $90,748 | $43.63 |
| 42 | Wyoming | $71,757 | $34.50 |
| 43 | Arizona | $75,286 | $36.20 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $94,215 | $45.30 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $72,620 | $34.91 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $71,868 | $34.55 |
| 47 | Florida | $71,623 | $34.43 |
| 48 | Wisconsin | $72,795 | $35.00 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $64,441 | $30.98 |
| 50 | Idaho | $73,984 | $35.57 |
| 51 | Alabama | $86,117 | $41.40 |
Highest paying cities for economist research assistants
The highest-paying cities for economist research assistants are New York, NY, McLean, VA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $142,181 | $68.36 |
| 2 | McLean, VA | $140,264 | $67.43 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $138,842 | $66.75 |
| 4 | Missoula, MT | $133,636 | $64.25 |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | $127,821 | $61.45 |
| 6 | Columbia, MD | $126,972 | $61.04 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $125,049 | $60.12 |
| 8 | Cleveland, OH | $123,246 | $59.25 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $122,735 | $59.01 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $122,507 | $58.90 |
| 11 | Olympia, WA | $118,942 | $57.18 |
| 12 | Dallas, TX | $115,837 | $55.69 |
| 13 | Durham, NC | $99,264 | $47.72 |
| 14 | Boston, MA | $99,046 | $47.62 |
| 15 | Jersey City, NJ | $94,796 | $45.58 |
| 16 | West Lafayette, IN | $90,808 | $43.66 |
| 17 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $86,596 | $41.63 |
| 18 | Scottsdale, AZ | $75,832 | $36.46 |
Economist research assistant salary details
An economist research assistant's salary ranges from $80,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $186,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is an economist research assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $186,000 | $15,500 | $89 |
| 75th Percentile | $152,000 | $12,667 | $73 |
| Average | $122,340 | $10,195 | $59 |
| 25th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 10th Percentile | $80,000 | $6,667 | $38 |
Highest paying economist research assistant jobs
The highest paying types of economist research assistants are economist, senior economist, and econometrician.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural Economist | $71,697 | $5,975 | $34.47 | 1,119 |
| Economic Development Internship | $37,977 | $3,165 | $18.26 | 92,622 |
| Energy Economist | $58,368 | $4,864 | $28.06 | 3,512 |
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
| Economic Developer | $51,285 | $4,274 | $24.66 | 72,804 |
| Economist | $109,102 | $9,092 | $52.45 | 1,029 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for economist research assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Pattabiraman Neelakantan Ph.D.
Professor of Economics, East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
Top companies hiring economist research assistants now:
Which companies pay economist research assistants the most?
Economist research assistant salaries at JUUL and Federal Reserve Bank of Boston are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average economist research assistant salary at companies like Federal Reserve Bank of New York and Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JUUL | $178,982 | $86.05 |
| 2 | Federal Reserve Bank of Boston | $177,049 | $85.12 |
| 3 | Federal Reserve Bank of New York | $176,236 | $84.73 |
| 4 | Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis | $169,844 | $81.66 |
| 5 | Federal Reserve | $168,325 | $80.93 |
| 6 | Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas | $166,231 | $79.92 |
| 7 | Citi | $161,275 | $77.54 |
| 8 | Federal Reserve Bank | $158,976 | $76.43 |
| 9 | AIG | $147,620 | $70.97 |
| 10 | Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland | $145,457 | $69.93 |
| 11 | Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond | $142,462 | $68.49 |
| 12 | RTI International Metals | $140,970 | $67.77 |
| 13 | California Institute of Technology | $140,185 | $67.40 |
| 14 | Economic Policy Institute | $130,269 | $62.63 |
| 15 | The Brookings Institution | $129,842 | $62.42 |
| 16 | Battelle | $119,330 | $57.37 |
| 17 | California Bank of Commerce | $115,749 | $55.65 |
| 18 | Precision Health Economics | $113,740 | $54.68 |
| 19 | FRI Holding Company LLC | $113,399 | $54.52 |
| 20 | Freddie Mac | $112,514 | $54.09 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Economist research assistant salary trends
The average economist research assistant salary has risen by $20,098 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average economist research assistant earned $102,242 annually, but today, they earn $122,340 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for economist research assistants over the last decade.
Compare economist research assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average economist research assistant salary over time
Compare economist research assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Economist research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $122,000 | $58.82 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $119,000 | $57.01 | +0.6% |
| 2023 | $118,000 | $56.64 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $116,000 | $55.64 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $114,000 | $54.85 | +1.9% |
Recently added economist research assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Novogradac & Co. LLP | Research Economist | Alpharetta, GA | 04/27/2025 | $76,000 |
| Novogradac & Co. LLP | Research Economist | Portland, OR | 04/27/2025 | $79,000 |
| Novogradac & Co. LLP | Research Economist | Austin, TX | 04/27/2025 | $75,000 |
| Novogradac & Co. LLP | Research Economist | Washington, DC | 04/25/2025 | $88,000 |
| Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland | Research Economist | Cleveland, OH | 03/10/2025 | $178,200 |
| Federal Reserve Bank of New York | Economic Research Economist | New York, NY | 02/25/2025 | $226,600 |
| University of Wyoming | Research Economist | Laramie, WY | 01/13/2025 | $60,778 |
| Rand | Economist, China Research Center | Santa Monica, CA | 12/15/2024 | $177,800 |
| Western Washington University | Research Economist | Bellingham, WA | 12/05/2024 | $67,059 |
| Boston College | Research Economist | Massachusetts | 11/26/2024 | $130,104 |
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