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Medical research assistant salary
Average medical research assistant salary
$40,303
Average Medical Research Assistant Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Medical Research Assistant in the United States is approximately $40,303 annually or about $19 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as experience level and geographical location. For entry-level positions, salaries typically start lower, while those with several years of experience may command higher wages.
Salary by State
Medical research assistants in certain states tend to earn more due to demand and cost of living variations. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries compared to the national average. The highest paying states for this role include:
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
Understanding these salary dynamics can help prospective medical research assistants make informed career choices. With the right qualifications and experience, you can enhance your earning potential in this vital and growing field of healthcare.
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Where can a Medical Research Assistant earn more?
Medical research assistant salaries by experience level
Medical research assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average medical research assistant salary by state
The average medical research assistant salary in Massachusetts, New York, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average medical research assistant salary states are Arkansas, Alabama, and Missouri.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for medical research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $59,676 | $28.69 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $57,700 | $27.74 |
| 3 | Maryland | $57,048 | $27.43 |
| 4 | California | $54,870 | $26.38 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $69,404 | $33.37 |
| 6 | Maine | $49,471 | $23.78 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $50,525 | $24.29 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | $56,263 | $27.05 |
| 9 | Ohio | $49,013 | $23.56 |
| 10 | Utah | $45,230 | $21.75 |
| 11 | New Jersey | $53,777 | $25.85 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | $43,629 | $20.98 |
| 13 | Oregon | $47,156 | $22.67 |
| 14 | Illinois | $41,099 | $19.76 |
| 15 | District of Columbia | $57,496 | $27.64 |
| 16 | Michigan | $43,611 | $20.97 |
| 17 | Vermont | $48,206 | $23.18 |
| 18 | Washington | $43,876 | $21.09 |
| 19 | Arizona | $40,125 | $19.29 |
| 20 | Delaware | $45,157 | $21.71 |
| 21 | Minnesota | $40,002 | $19.23 |
| 22 | Nevada | $42,723 | $20.54 |
| 23 | Hawaii | $47,073 | $22.63 |
| 24 | Iowa | $43,782 | $21.05 |
| 25 | Alaska | $43,370 | $20.85 |
| 26 | West Virginia | $34,408 | $16.54 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $38,341 | $18.43 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $41,353 | $19.88 |
| 29 | Idaho | $35,921 | $17.27 |
| 30 | Virginia | $41,957 | $20.17 |
| 31 | Florida | $35,564 | $17.10 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $34,370 | $16.52 |
| 33 | Indiana | $33,764 | $16.23 |
| 34 | Georgia | $33,635 | $16.17 |
| 35 | Colorado | $36,131 | $17.37 |
| 36 | Texas | $36,423 | $17.51 |
| 37 | Kansas | $36,291 | $17.45 |
| 38 | Mississippi | $34,955 | $16.81 |
| 39 | Montana | $33,001 | $15.87 |
| 40 | North Dakota | $36,104 | $17.36 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $33,732 | $16.22 |
| 42 | North Carolina | $33,342 | $16.03 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $32,298 | $15.53 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $28,967 | $13.93 |
| 45 | Tennessee | $31,362 | $15.08 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $30,327 | $14.58 |
| 47 | Missouri | $29,188 | $14.03 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $31,114 | $14.96 |
| 49 | Alabama | $29,446 | $14.16 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $28,881 | $13.89 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $29,026 | $13.95 |
Highest paying cities for medical research assistants
The highest-paying cities for medical research assistants are Worcester, MA, New York, NY, and Mountain View, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Worcester, MA | $69,614 | $33.47 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $59,654 | $28.68 |
| 3 | Mountain View, CA | $59,511 | $28.61 |
| 4 | Stamford, CT | $57,575 | $27.68 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $57,433 | $27.61 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 7 | Paramus, NJ | $53,739 | $25.84 |
| 8 | Akron, OH | $52,664 | $25.32 |
| 9 | Macomb, MI | $44,804 | $21.54 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $44,603 | $21.44 |
| 11 | San Antonio, TX | $36,785 | $17.69 |
| 12 | Tampa, FL | $35,826 | $17.22 |
| 13 | Atlanta, GA | $33,569 | $16.14 |
| 14 | Chattanooga, TN | $31,636 | $15.21 |
| 15 | Spartanburg, SC | $31,348 | $15.07 |
| 16 | Norman, OK | $29,804 | $14.33 |
| 17 | Fayetteville, AR | $29,713 | $14.29 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $29,577 | $14.22 |
| 19 | Lincoln, NE | $28,944 | $13.92 |
Medical research assistant salary details
A medical research assistant's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a medical research assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $51,000 | $4,250 | $25 |
| Average | $40,303 | $3,359 | $19 |
| 25th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying medical research assistant jobs
The highest paying types of medical research assistants are medical internship, research assistant, and medical assistant instructor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Scribe | $30,045 | $2,504 | $14.44 | 80,035 |
| Medical Internship | $50,843 | $4,237 | $24.44 | 127,692 |
| Medical Assisting Extern | $35,737 | $2,978 | $17.18 | 81,077 |
Top companies hiring medical research assistants now:
Which companies pay medical research assistants the most?
Medical research assistant salaries at Norton Rose Fulbright and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average medical research assistant salary at companies like General Dynamics Mission Systems and Georgetown University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norton Rose Fulbright | $117,519 | $56.50 |
| 2 | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center | $67,556 | $32.48 |
| 3 | General Dynamics Mission Systems | $65,235 | $31.36 |
| 4 | Georgetown University | $55,692 | $26.77 |
| 5 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $53,347 | $25.65 |
| 6 | Thrive Behavioral Health | $53,331 | $25.64 |
| 7 | University of California | $50,259 | $24.16 |
| 8 | Huntsville Hospital | $45,832 | $22.03 |
| 9 | Terros Health | $45,428 | $21.84 |
| 10 | Pharmaceutical Product Development | $44,782 | $21.53 |
| 11 | General Dynamics | $44,752 | $21.52 |
| 12 | Day Kimball Health | $44,731 | $21.51 |
| 13 | Central Ohio Primary Care | $42,805 | $20.58 |
| 14 | Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System | $42,725 | $20.54 |
| 15 | Tenet Healthcare | $41,193 | $19.80 |
| 16 | Henry Ford Health System | $39,589 | $19.03 |
| 17 | LifePoint Health | $39,461 | $18.97 |
| 18 | Northern California Medical Associates | $39,350 | $18.92 |
| 19 | University Physicians' Association, Inc. | $39,289 | $18.89 |
| 20 | Celerion | $39,285 | $18.89 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Medical Research Assistant salary by industry
The average medical research assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average medical research assistant salary in the education industry is $41,104, the highest of any industry.
- The average medical research assistant salary in the finance industry is $40,913.
- Medical research assistants in the transportation industry earn an average salary of $35,830, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for medical research assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Education | $41,104 | $19.76 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $40,913 | $19.67 |
| 3 | Health Care | $38,435 | $18.48 |
| 4 | Professional | $36,128 | $17.37 |
| 5 | Transportation | $35,830 | $17.23 |
High paying medical research assistant jobs
Medical research assistant salary trends
The average medical research assistant salary has risen by $7,588 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average medical research assistant earned $32,715 annually, but today, they earn $40,303 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for medical research assistants over the last decade.
Compare medical research assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average medical research assistant salary over time
Compare medical research assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Medical research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $40,300 | $19.38 | +2.9% |
| 2025 | $39,100 | $18.81 | +3.4% |
| 2024 | $37,800 | $18.17 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $36,500 | $17.55 | +2.9% |
| 2022 | $35,500 | $17.05 | +3.0% |
Recently added medical research assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unitedhealth Group Inc. | Medical Assistant MA Wellmed Paisono DR Mcallen Texas | El Paso, TX | 06/24/2025 | $33,392 |
| Staffmark Group | Medical Affairs Research Assistant | San Diego, CA | 06/13/2025 | $87,654 |
| Advanced Eye Physician | Experienced Medical Assistant for DR. Office at Manhattan (Bilingual Chinese) | New York, NY | 06/10/2025 | $52,175 |
| Celerion | Medical Research Assistant | Lincoln, NE | 06/09/2025 | $33,392 |
| Circadia Health | Medical Device Research Assistant | Los Angeles, CA | 06/09/2025 | $60,000 |
| Celerion | Medical Research Assistant | Tempe, AZ | 06/05/2025 | $37,566 |
| Clinilabs Inc. | Medical/Research Assistant | Eatontown, NJ | 06/05/2025 | $52,175 |
| Stanford University | Medical Psychiatry Research Assistant(Fixed Term) | Stanford, CA | 06/03/2025 | $66,450 |
| Icon Strategic Solutions | Medical Research Assistant-Clinical Trials | Lenexa, KS | 05/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Resurgens Orthopaedics | Medical Assistant for DR. Casp | Westminster, CO | 05/28/2025 | $37,566 |
Medical research assistant salary FAQs
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