Occupations · Life, Physical, and Social Science
Social Science Research Assistants
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 19-4061.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 69% between 2004 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $62,330 | 2,470 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $62,800 | 2,300 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $49,140 | 2,140 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $63,790 | 1,110 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $58,920 | 890 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $56,740 | 810 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $45,080 | 660 |
| Raleigh, NC | $63,160 | 530 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $80,870 | 470 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | $59,520 | 460 |
| Tucson, AZ | $59,130 | 430 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,950 | 390 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
- Obtain informed consent of research subjects or their guardians.
- Administer standardized tests to research subjects, or interview them to collect research data.
- Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
- Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
- Recruit and schedule research participants.
- Screen potential subjects to determine their suitability as study participants.
- Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
- Track research participants, and perform any necessary follow-up tasks.
- Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
- Develop and implement research quality control procedures.
- Prepare, manipulate, and manage extensive databases.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2019-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2019-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Write grant proposals.
O*NET 30.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 18
No longer listed 17
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| social work researcher | 2632.6.1 | close |
| university research assistant | 2310.1.41 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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