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Research assistant salary
Average research assistant salary
$42,896
Understanding Research Assistant Salaries
The role of a research assistant is crucial in supporting research projects across various disciplines. As of October 2025, research assistants earn an average salary of $42,896 per year. Many factors influence this figure, including geographical location, industry, and years of experience.
Factors Affecting Salary
In general, research assistants in metropolitan areas may command higher salaries due to the cost of living. States like California and New York typically offer higher pay compared to other regions. Additionally, those working in specialized sectors such as healthcare or engineering often see increased salaries.
Career Growth and Opportunities
Advancing in this field may involve pursuing further education or gaining experience in specific research methodologies. Many research assistants transition into roles such as project coordinators or lead researchers, which can significantly increase earning potential.
For anyone considering a career as a research assistant, understanding these salary dynamics can help inform your career decisions and expectations.
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Where can a Research Assistant earn more?
Research assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average research assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for research assistants are New Jersey, Alaska, and Massachusetts. The lowest average research assistant salary states are Utah, Oklahoma, and Texas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,492 | $28.12 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $53,102 | $25.53 |
| 3 | Alaska | $54,653 | $26.28 |
| 4 | Vermont | $50,955 | $24.50 |
| 5 | California | $50,227 | $24.15 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $51,503 | $24.76 |
| 7 | Illinois | $49,989 | $24.03 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $50,484 | $24.27 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $44,240 | $21.27 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $43,364 | $20.85 |
| 11 | Delaware | $47,925 | $23.04 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $42,775 | $20.56 |
| 13 | New York | $45,645 | $21.94 |
| 14 | Oregon | $42,603 | $20.48 |
| 15 | North Carolina | $42,580 | $20.47 |
| 16 | Virginia | $45,277 | $21.77 |
| 17 | Michigan | $41,084 | $19.75 |
| 18 | Idaho | $42,781 | $20.57 |
| 19 | Georgia | $42,700 | $20.53 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $39,190 | $18.84 |
| 21 | Maryland | $40,887 | $19.66 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $40,229 | $19.34 |
| 23 | Louisiana | $41,838 | $20.11 |
| 24 | Florida | $40,693 | $19.56 |
| 25 | Washington | $38,201 | $18.37 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $39,842 | $19.15 |
| 27 | Maine | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| 28 | Ohio | $38,763 | $18.64 |
| 29 | Nevada | $41,054 | $19.74 |
| 30 | Missouri | $38,237 | $18.38 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $38,986 | $18.74 |
| 32 | Colorado | $37,821 | $18.18 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | $38,382 | $18.45 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $36,551 | $17.57 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $38,441 | $18.48 |
| 36 | Nebraska | $35,166 | $16.91 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $37,988 | $18.26 |
| 38 | Indiana | $36,880 | $17.73 |
| 39 | Arizona | $36,746 | $17.67 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $35,556 | $17.09 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $37,322 | $17.94 |
| 42 | Tennessee | $32,453 | $15.60 |
| 43 | Utah | $32,414 | $15.58 |
| 44 | Iowa | $33,835 | $16.27 |
| 45 | South Dakota | $32,610 | $15.68 |
| 46 | Kansas | $33,633 | $16.17 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $26,498 | $12.74 |
| 48 | Texas | $31,634 | $15.21 |
| 49 | Montana | $30,209 | $14.52 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $32,201 | $15.48 |
| 51 | Alabama | $30,884 | $14.85 |
Highest paying cities for research assistants
The highest-paying cities for research assistants are New Brunswick, NJ, Boston, MA, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Brunswick, NJ | $58,524 | $28.14 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $53,085 | $25.52 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $52,332 | $25.16 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $51,473 | $24.75 |
| 5 | Chicago, IL | $50,272 | $24.17 |
| 6 | Farmington, CT | $50,267 | $24.17 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $45,775 | $22.01 |
| 8 | Providence, RI | $44,218 | $21.26 |
| 9 | Philadelphia, PA | $43,746 | $21.03 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $43,541 | $20.93 |
| 11 | Eugene, OR | $43,105 | $20.72 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $42,592 | $20.48 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $41,288 | $19.85 |
| 14 | Miami, FL | $41,207 | $19.81 |
| 15 | Baltimore, MD | $41,035 | $19.73 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $40,134 | $19.30 |
| 17 | Portland, ME | $39,196 | $18.84 |
| 18 | Saint Louis, MO | $38,793 | $18.65 |
| 19 | Seattle, WA | $38,579 | $18.55 |
| 20 | Little Rock, AR | $38,554 | $18.54 |
Research Assistants are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Research assistant salary details
A research assistant's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $64,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a research assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 75th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| Average | $42,896 | $3,575 | $21 |
| 25th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying research assistant jobs
The highest paying types of research assistants are research assistant professor, research and development assistant, and assistant research scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graduate Researcher | $32,346 | $2,696 | $15.55 | 17,313 |
| Research Laboratory Technician | $38,308 | $3,192 | $18.42 | 86,476 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Graduate Research Student | $34,658 | $2,888 | $16.66 | 58,921 |
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
| Research Technician | $43,034 | $3,586 | $20.69 | 64,786 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for research assistants, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
David Simon
Professor, Stonehill College
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.
Top companies hiring research assistants now:
Which companies pay research assistants the most?
Research assistant salaries at JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Google are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average research assistant salary at companies like Governors State University and Genentech are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $76,000 | $36.54 |
| 2 | $75,206 | $36.16 | |
| 3 | Governors State University | $73,977 | $35.57 |
| 4 | Genentech | $73,160 | $35.17 |
| 5 | Moody's | $71,427 | $34.34 |
| 6 | Citi | $69,978 | $33.64 |
| 7 | Children's Hospital New Orleans | $66,091 | $31.77 |
| 8 | Frazier History Museum | $66,051 | $31.76 |
| 9 | EDC | $65,573 | $31.53 |
| 10 | Stanford Health Care | $65,040 | $31.27 |
| 11 | Schneider Electric Industrial Services | $63,414 | $30.49 |
| 12 | APCO Worldwide | $62,997 | $30.29 |
| 13 | Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) | $62,653 | $30.12 |
| 14 | New Jersey Institute of Technology | $62,033 | $29.82 |
| 15 | ABB | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 16 | Edgewood College | $60,812 | $29.24 |
| 17 | Cook Children's Medical Center | $60,665 | $29.17 |
| 18 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $60,436 | $29.06 |
| 19 | Board Of Regents Of The University System Of Georgia | $60,246 | $28.96 |
| 20 | New York Institute of Technology | $59,923 | $28.81 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Research assistant salary trends
The average research assistant salary has risen by $9,074 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average research assistant earned $33,822 annually, but today, they earn $42,896 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for research assistants over the last decade.
Compare research assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average research assistant salary over time
Compare research assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $42,900 | $20.62 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $41,400 | $19.91 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $40,700 | $19.55 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $40,100 | $19.28 | +6.1% |
| 2021 | $37,600 | $18.10 | +1.6% |
Recently added research assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Extra Help-Research Assistant | Little Rock, AR | 06/30/2025 | $31,305 |
| University of Arkansas | Archeological Assistant-Archeogeophysical Research | Fayetteville, NC | 06/30/2025 | $35,600 |
| South Dakota Board of Regents | Research Assistant | Sturgis, SD | 06/30/2025 | $38,881 |
| The University of Chicago | Research Assistant | Chicago, IL | 06/30/2025 | $40,133 |
| University of Missouri-Kansas City | Research Assistant | Kansas City, MO | 06/30/2025 | $52,175 |
| Jackson Laboratory | Research Assistant II | Bar Harbor, ME | 06/30/2025 | $38,797 |
| Utah State University | Research Assistant | Cove, UT | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| Clemson University | Research Assistant | Clemson, SC | 06/30/2025 | $25,044 |
| Ou Health | Undergraduate Research Assistant (Summer) | Norman, OK | 06/29/2025 | $25,044 |
| Fuller Theological | Research Assistant-Cats | Pasadena, CA | 06/29/2025 | $36,523 |
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