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Social research assistant salary
Average social research assistant salary
$52,089
Understanding the Social Research Assistant Salary
As a Social Research Assistant, you play a pivotal role in conducting research that informs social policies and programs. The average salary for this position is approximately $52,089 per year, or about $25 per hour. Factors influencing salary include geographic location, years of experience, and the specific sector you work in.
Average Salary by State
In terms of geographical variance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the cost of living and demand for social research. For instance, the average salary in California can exceed $60,000, reflecting the competitive nature of the job market.
Job Opportunities
Social Research Assistants typically find employment in government agencies, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions. These roles not only provide a steady income but also the chance to contribute significantly to community well-being. As you gain experience, opportunities for advancement into senior research roles or specialized positions become available.
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Where can a Social Research Assistant earn more?
Average social research assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for social research assistants are New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Washington. The lowest average social research assistant salary states are Vermont, Florida, and Michigan.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for social research assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $64,733 | $31.12 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $72,149 | $34.69 |
| 3 | Delaware | $61,333 | $29.49 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $57,066 | $27.44 |
| 5 | Washington | $63,188 | $30.38 |
| 6 | California | $59,924 | $28.81 |
| 7 | Illinois | $58,743 | $28.24 |
| 8 | Oregon | $55,650 | $26.75 |
| 9 | West Virginia | $56,336 | $27.08 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $54,425 | $26.17 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $55,631 | $26.75 |
| 12 | District of Columbia | $61,705 | $29.67 |
| 13 | Idaho | $53,734 | $25.83 |
| 14 | Arizona | $54,498 | $26.20 |
| 15 | Wyoming | $49,834 | $23.96 |
| 16 | Alaska | $58,437 | $28.09 |
| 17 | Connecticut | $53,351 | $25.65 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $53,674 | $25.80 |
| 19 | Nevada | $52,841 | $25.40 |
| 20 | Indiana | $51,066 | $24.55 |
| 21 | Arkansas | $51,531 | $24.77 |
| 22 | Utah | $48,332 | $23.24 |
| 23 | Missouri | $51,361 | $24.69 |
| 24 | Montana | $48,700 | $23.41 |
| 25 | Louisiana | $50,968 | $24.50 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $48,404 | $23.27 |
| 27 | New York | $52,402 | $25.19 |
| 28 | Georgia | $51,127 | $24.58 |
| 29 | Colorado | $48,734 | $23.43 |
| 30 | Maine | $46,327 | $22.27 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $46,771 | $22.49 |
| 32 | Kansas | $50,754 | $24.40 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $45,882 | $22.06 |
| 34 | Maryland | $52,897 | $25.43 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $50,510 | $24.28 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $50,345 | $24.20 |
| 37 | Mississippi | $49,453 | $23.78 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $43,986 | $21.15 |
| 39 | Nebraska | $45,749 | $21.99 |
| 40 | Vermont | $40,141 | $19.30 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $48,060 | $23.11 |
| 42 | Michigan | $38,773 | $18.64 |
| 43 | Texas | $45,181 | $21.72 |
| 44 | Virginia | $46,625 | $22.42 |
| 45 | Ohio | $42,331 | $20.35 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $30,575 | $14.70 |
| 47 | Tennessee | $41,057 | $19.74 |
| 48 | Florida | $39,425 | $18.95 |
| 49 | Iowa | $40,566 | $19.50 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $33,261 | $15.99 |
| 51 | Alabama | $37,302 | $17.93 |
Highest paying cities for social research assistants
The highest-paying cities for social research assistants are Boston, MA, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $64,600 | $31.06 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $63,124 | $30.35 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $61,717 | $29.67 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $59,118 | $28.42 |
| 5 | West Haven, CT | $53,512 | $25.73 |
| 6 | Baltimore, MD | $52,975 | $25.47 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $52,578 | $25.28 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $51,711 | $24.86 |
| 9 | Savannah, GA | $51,048 | $24.54 |
| 10 | Fort Collins, CO | $49,005 | $23.56 |
| 11 | Logan, UT | $48,723 | $23.42 |
| 12 | Charleston, SC | $47,567 | $22.87 |
| 13 | Austin, TX | $45,835 | $22.04 |
| 14 | Pittsburgh, PA | $43,162 | $20.75 |
| 15 | Columbus, OH | $41,975 | $20.18 |
| 16 | Iowa City, IA | $40,965 | $19.69 |
Social research assistant salary details
A social research assistant's salary ranges from $32,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $83,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a social research assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $83,000 | $6,917 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $52,089 | $4,341 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| 10th Percentile | $32,000 | $2,667 | $15 |
Highest paying social research assistant jobs
The highest paying types of social research assistants are research assistant member, research assistant professor, and research and development assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Scholar | $58,047 | $4,837 | $27.91 | 51,721 |
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
Top companies hiring social research assistants now:
Which companies pay social research assistants the most?
Social research assistant salaries at New York University and Human Rights Watch are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social research assistant salary at companies like Stanford University and University of Rochester are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York University | $83,034 | $39.92 |
| 2 | Human Rights Watch | $80,573 | $38.74 |
| 3 | Stanford University | $78,486 | $37.73 |
| 4 | University of Rochester | $67,113 | $32.27 |
| 5 | Boston College | $64,954 | $31.23 |
| 6 | Savannah State University | $60,961 | $29.31 |
| 7 | PSEA | $59,131 | $28.43 |
| 8 | Research Foundation of The City University of New York | $56,928 | $27.37 |
| 9 | The Jewish Theological Seminary | $56,060 | $26.95 |
| 10 | York College | $55,918 | $26.88 |
| 11 | CSIS | $54,732 | $26.31 |
| 12 | American Enterprise Institute | $54,296 | $26.10 |
| 13 | U.S.-Saudi Arabian Business Council | $53,818 | $25.87 |
| 14 | University of Iowa Center for Advancement | $50,875 | $24.46 |
| 15 | Washington CORE | $48,779 | $23.45 |
| 16 | The Baldwin Group, Inc. | $47,439 | $22.81 |
| 17 | Animal Place | $46,995 | $22.59 |
| 18 | John F Kennedy Middle School | $46,878 | $22.54 |
| 19 | Children's Institute | $46,271 | $22.25 |
| 20 | Caliper Family of Companies | $46,014 | $22.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Social research assistant salary trends
The average social research assistant salary has risen by $11,019 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social research assistant earned $41,070 annually, but today, they earn $52,089 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for social research assistants over the last decade.
Compare social research assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average social research assistant salary over time
Compare social research assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Social research assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,100 | $25.04 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $50,300 | $24.18 | +1.8% |
| 2023 | $49,400 | $23.73 | +1.4% |
| 2022 | $48,700 | $23.41 | +6.1% |
| 2021 | $45,700 | $21.98 | +1.6% |
Recently added social research assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Social Science Research Professional 1 (Research Assistant) | Stanford, CA | 06/20/2025 | $70,958 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | Social Science/Humanities Research Assistant III | Cove, UT | 06/18/2025 | $50,000 |
| State of North Carolina | Social Research Assistant II | Raleigh, NC | 05/30/2025 | $39,671 |
| Case Western Reserve University | Social Science Research Assistant Year Term) | Cleveland, OH | 05/21/2025 | $36,376 |
| The University of Kansas Health System | Research Assistant-Social Media and Community Outreach | Lane, KS | 05/17/2025 | $47,291 |
| Re Assistant, European and Russian Studies In Washington, Washington, Dc | Research Assistant, Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies (Literature and Culture) | Washington, DC | 04/28/2025 | $50,000 |
| Millersville University of Pennsylvania | Center for Public Scholarship & Social Change & Lone OAK-Research Assistant | Millersville, PA | 04/24/2025 | $26,088 |
| Re Assistant, European and Russian Studies In Washington, Washington, Dc | Research Assistant, Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies (Literature and Culture) | Washington, DC | 03/27/2025 | $50,000 |
| Adler University | Research Assistant, Institute On Public Safety and Social Justice | Chicago, IL | 03/06/2025 | $62,610 |
| Dreamer's Hymn Inc. | Social Science Research Assistant | New York, NY | 03/04/2025 | $60,000 |
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