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Research and development assistant salary
Average research and development assistant salary
$63,157
Understanding the Role of Research and Development Assistants
Research and development assistants are essential in facilitating the innovation process within organizations. They assist in various tasks, including data collection, project coordination, and analysis, directly impacting product development and improvement.
Average Salary Breakdown
The average salary for a research and development assistant is approximately $63,157 annually, translating to about $30 per hour. Salary can fluctuate based on factors such as experience, education, and the specific industry of employment.
Geographic Earnings Variability
Location significantly influences salary potential. For example, research and development assistants in states like California and New York often earn higher salaries compared to their counterparts in other regions. Additionally, major metropolitan areas typically offer more competitive compensation.
Career Advancement Opportunities
With experience, research and development assistants can advance to higher-paying roles within their fields. Pursuing further education or specialized training can enhance job prospects and earning potential. Consider industries such as technology, pharmaceuticals, and engineering for promising opportunities.
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Where can a Research And Development Assistant earn more?
Average research and development assistant salary by state
The average research and development assistant salary in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Oregon are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average research and development assistant salary states are South Carolina, Michigan, and Hawaii.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research and development assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $88,395 | $42.50 |
| 2 | Oregon | $84,259 | $40.51 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $89,861 | $43.20 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $69,753 | $33.54 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $73,219 | $35.20 |
| 6 | Wyoming | $64,384 | $30.95 |
| 7 | Arizona | $67,640 | $32.52 |
| 8 | Washington | $80,466 | $38.69 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $67,749 | $32.57 |
| 10 | Ohio | $67,582 | $32.49 |
| 11 | Nevada | $69,203 | $33.27 |
| 12 | Delaware | $75,412 | $36.26 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $71,548 | $34.40 |
| 14 | Illinois | $71,625 | $34.44 |
| 15 | Montana | $62,776 | $30.18 |
| 16 | California | $69,635 | $33.48 |
| 17 | Wisconsin | $62,705 | $30.15 |
| 18 | Alaska | $64,180 | $30.86 |
| 19 | Idaho | $69,674 | $33.50 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $61,119 | $29.38 |
| 21 | Indiana | $60,576 | $29.12 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $59,835 | $28.77 |
| 23 | District of Columbia | $74,794 | $35.96 |
| 24 | Maryland | $69,323 | $33.33 |
| 25 | Connecticut | $67,582 | $32.49 |
| 26 | South Dakota | $58,316 | $28.04 |
| 27 | Iowa | $61,664 | $29.65 |
| 28 | North Carolina | $65,395 | $31.44 |
| 29 | Utah | $63,315 | $30.44 |
| 30 | Missouri | $58,689 | $28.22 |
| 31 | Kentucky | $59,956 | $28.82 |
| 32 | Kansas | $58,917 | $28.33 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $57,545 | $27.67 |
| 34 | Nebraska | $56,215 | $27.03 |
| 35 | Maine | $62,489 | $30.04 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $51,767 | $24.89 |
| 37 | Louisiana | $57,678 | $27.73 |
| 38 | New York | $63,073 | $30.32 |
| 39 | Georgia | $54,328 | $26.12 |
| 40 | Florida | $54,343 | $26.13 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $51,084 | $24.56 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $46,367 | $22.29 |
| 43 | Colorado | $59,239 | $28.48 |
| 44 | Virginia | $59,524 | $28.62 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $54,820 | $26.36 |
| 46 | Michigan | $48,678 | $23.40 |
| 47 | Texas | $45,978 | $22.10 |
| 48 | Vermont | $53,439 | $25.69 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $50,481 | $24.27 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $41,157 | $19.79 |
| 51 | Alabama | $40,546 | $19.49 |
Highest paying cities for research and development assistants
The highest-paying cities for research and development assistants are Boston, MA, Eugene, OR, and Sacramento, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $88,386 | $42.49 |
| 2 | Eugene, OR | $84,409 | $40.58 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $77,975 | $37.49 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $74,785 | $35.95 |
| 5 | Providence, RI | $73,284 | $35.23 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $72,400 | $34.81 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $69,739 | $33.53 |
| 8 | College Park, MD | $69,034 | $33.19 |
| 9 | Chapel Hill, NC | $67,957 | $32.67 |
| 10 | Salt Lake City, UT | $63,332 | $30.45 |
| 11 | New York, NY | $63,100 | $30.34 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $62,433 | $30.02 |
| 13 | Albuquerque, NM | $60,456 | $29.07 |
| 14 | Indianapolis, IN | $59,783 | $28.74 |
| 15 | Gladstone, MO | $59,267 | $28.49 |
| 16 | Aurora, CO | $59,174 | $28.45 |
| 17 | Little Rock, AR | $57,187 | $27.49 |
| 18 | Bellevue, NE | $56,161 | $27.00 |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $55,067 | $26.47 |
| 20 | Oak Ridge, TN | $52,047 | $25.02 |
Research and development assistant salary details
A research and development assistant's salary ranges from $41,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research and development assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $78,000 | $6,500 | $38 |
| Average | $63,157 | $5,263 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $50,000 | $4,167 | $24 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
Highest paying research and development assistant jobs
The highest paying types of research and development assistants are research scientist, research and development technician, and research chemist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Chemical Technician | $42,584 | $3,549 | $20.47 | 40,191 |
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Research Technician | $43,034 | $3,586 | $20.69 | 64,786 |
Top companies hiring research and development assistants now:
Which companies pay research and development assistants the most?
Research and development assistant salaries at Apple and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research and development assistant salary at companies like Genentech and Biogen are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Apple | $133,105 | $63.99 |
| 2 | Meta | $127,533 | $61.31 |
| 3 | Genentech | $122,981 | $59.13 |
| 4 | Biogen | $119,345 | $57.38 |
| 5 | VMware | $114,878 | $55.23 |
| 6 | SAS Institute | $111,336 | $53.53 |
| 7 | Sandia National Labs | $97,916 | $47.08 |
| 8 | Reckitt Benckiser | $97,406 | $46.83 |
| 9 | American Institutes for Research | $94,091 | $45.24 |
| 10 | Agilent Technologies | $87,593 | $42.11 |
| 11 | Oshkosh | $86,181 | $41.43 |
| 12 | Mathematica | $84,753 | $40.75 |
| 13 | The Dow Chemical Company | $83,789 | $40.28 |
| 14 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory | $82,394 | $39.61 |
| 15 | Parsons | $80,730 | $38.81 |
| 16 | TPR Holdings | $76,267 | $36.67 |
| 17 | Konica Minolta | $74,430 | $35.78 |
| 18 | University of Delaware | $73,603 | $35.39 |
| 19 | Bank of America | $70,879 | $34.08 |
| 20 | Northrop Grumman | $70,685 | $33.98 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research And Development Assistant salary by industry
The average research and development assistant salary varies across industries:
- The average research and development assistant salary in the health care industry is $71,587, the highest of any industry.
- The average research and development assistant salary in the finance industry is $65,570.
- Research and development assistants in the construction industry earn an average salary of $53,296, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for research and development assistants
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $71,587 | $34.42 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $65,570 | $31.52 |
| 3 | Education | $60,753 | $29.21 |
| 4 | Construction | $53,296 | $25.62 |
High paying research and development assistant jobs
Research and development assistant salary trends
The average research and development assistant salary has risen by $13,361 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research and development assistant earned $49,796 annually, but today, they earn $63,157 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for research and development assistants over the last decade.
Compare research and development assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research and development assistant salary over time
Compare research and development assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research and development assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $63,200 | $30.36 | +3.5% |
| 2025 | $61,000 | $29.31 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $59,900 | $28.78 | +1.4% |
| 2023 | $59,000 | $28.38 | +6.1% |
| 2022 | $55,400 | $26.65 | +1.6% |
Recently added research and development assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manpowergroup | Research & Development Assistant | Montvale, NJ | 06/28/2025 | $52,175 |
| American University | Alumni Management and Research Assistant, Career Development (Student)(Fws) | Washington, DC | 06/28/2025 | $37,462 |
| Actalent | R&D EV | Sunbury, OH | 06/27/2025 | $95,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Boise, ID | 06/21/2025 | $100,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Cheyenne, WY | 06/21/2025 | $100,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Sacramento, CA | 06/21/2025 | $100,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Portland, OR | 06/21/2025 | $100,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Denver, CO | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| SST Direct | R&D Machinist-Seattle, WA.-Relocation Assistance | Seattle, WA | 06/20/2025 | $100,000 |
| Global Channel Management, Inc. | R D Lab Assistant | Madison Heights, MI | 06/10/2025 | $50,088 |
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