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.
What it pays
Social Science Research Assistants earn a median of $29.81/hr — about $62,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.31/hr; the top 10% earn $49.07/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Social Science Research Assistants earn a median of $29.81/hr — about $62,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $18.31/hr; the top 10% earn $49.07/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
- Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
- Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
- Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
- Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
- Develop and implement research quality control procedures.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; much of the day is spent working solo. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 4.9% of social science research assistants are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are analytical and organized and detail-focused.
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Quick questions
- How much does a social science research assistant make?
- The median pay is $29.81 per hour — roughly $62,000 a year, with the real range running from about $18.31/hr (10th percentile) to $49.07/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a social science research assistant?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a social science research assistant actually do all day?
- Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning. Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations. Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.