Pay by state · 45 states
Social Science Research Assistant Salary by State (2026)
Social Science Research Assistants earn the most in Oklahoma at $69,090 a year and the least in Nevada at $26,560 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The national median is $61,990. All 45 states and territories with reported data are ranked below, with a cost-of-living adjusted column.
- Highest median
- $69,090Oklahoma
- National median
- $61,990BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Lowest median
- $26,560Nevada
- States reporting
- 45of 54 OEWS areas
All states
Social Science Research Assistant salary in every state
Sort by any column. Employment is the number of social science research assistants OEWS estimates in that state; blank cells are estimates BLS suppressed because the sample was too small.
| # | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OKOklahoma | $69,090 | $60,460 | $84,780 | 100 | $78,652 |
| 2 | DEDelaware | $68,230 | $53,780 | $80,350 | 40 | $68,361 |
| 3 | KSKansas | $67,740 | $54,970 | $67,740 | 170 | $75,210 |
| 4 | GAGeorgia | $66,620 | $52,830 | $99,090 | 1,840 | $69,185 |
| 5 | KYKentucky | $66,390 | $51,750 | $82,500 | 1,190 | $73,637 |
| 6 | MOMissouri | $65,940 | $49,750 | $66,090 | 750 | $72,608 |
| 7 | NHNew Hampshire | $65,690 | $47,420 | $77,100 | 70 | $63,063 |
| 8 | MDMaryland | $65,550 | $54,820 | $84,490 | 700 | $62,453 |
| 9 | DCDistrict of Columbia | $65,330 | $56,830 | $81,420 | 1,560 | $59,444 |
| 10 | ILIllinois | $64,890 | $47,720 | $74,700 | 250 | $64,917 |
| 11 | SCSouth Carolina | $64,490 | $50,070 | $79,740 | 500 | $68,790 |
| 12 | NCNorth Carolina | $63,710 | $52,130 | $67,680 | 2,930 | $67,542 |
| 13 | MAMassachusetts | $63,480 | $49,980 | $71,700 | N/A | $60,024 |
| 14 | NJNew Jersey | $62,760 | $49,390 | $85,270 | 370 | $57,681 |
| 15 | IDIdaho | $62,570 | $54,440 | $63,860 | N/A | $65,522 |
| 16 | AKAlaska | $62,230 | $56,950 | $69,410 | 40 | $60,796 |
| 17 | AZArizona | $61,680 | $50,920 | $64,290 | 1,020 | $61,265 |
| 18 | NYNew York | $61,210 | $46,280 | $79,630 | 3,040 | $56,717 |
| 19 | CACalifornia | $60,250 | $41,670 | $84,990 | 5,300 | $54,417 |
| 20 | MIMichigan | $60,210 | $49,520 | $64,220 | 750 | $62,577 |
| 21 | CTConnecticut | $60,110 | $54,010 | $71,340 | 50 | $58,016 |
| 22 | TXTexas | $58,070 | $44,950 | $77,130 | 1,180 | $59,831 |
| 23 | INIndiana | $57,020 | $34,710 | $75,930 | 210 | $61,096 |
| 24 | OROregon | $56,770 | $50,790 | $69,690 | 220 | $54,924 |
| 25 | NENebraska | $56,190 | $37,990 | $61,800 | 230 | $62,362 |
| 26 | PAPennsylvania | $54,610 | $48,590 | $64,790 | 860 | $55,969 |
| 27 | VAVirginia | $53,260 | $45,880 | $66,430 | 700 | $52,678 |
| 28 | ALAlabama | $53,080 | $53,080 | $53,950 | N/A | $59,759 |
| 29 | LALouisiana | $52,600 | $45,010 | $60,710 | 340 | $59,632 |
| 30 | RIRhode Island | $51,420 | $51,420 | $68,710 | 220 | $50,274 |
| 31 | WVWest Virginia | $51,140 | $34,480 | $72,410 | 550 | $57,142 |
| 32 | FLFlorida | $50,700 | $34,370 | $64,000 | 1,130 | $49,026 |
| 33 | MEMaine | $50,650 | $44,530 | $65,010 | 120 | $52,190 |
| 34 | NMNew Mexico | $50,640 | $40,250 | $97,740 | 50 | $54,917 |
| 35 | COColorado | $50,430 | $50,180 | $51,160 | 100 | $48,936 |
| 36 | WAWashington | $50,420 | $48,780 | $59,820 | 450 | $47,116 |
| 37 | OHOhio | $50,330 | $24,810 | $72,830 | 240 | $54,250 |
| 38 | MTMontana | $49,860 | $45,290 | $51,820 | 30 | $52,681 |
| 39 | WIWisconsin | $48,090 | $44,620 | $57,650 | 110 | $51,108 |
| 40 | VTVermont | $47,510 | $47,510 | $63,020 | 40 | $48,500 |
| 41 | TNTennessee | $46,410 | $40,120 | $55,900 | 140 | $50,517 |
| 42 | MNMinnesota | $44,920 | $40,680 | $48,380 | 300 | $45,548 |
| 43 | SDSouth Dakota | $44,820 | $34,710 | $50,670 | 40 | $50,595 |
| 44 | IAIowa | $40,940 | $33,000 | $44,520 | 140 | $46,649 |
| 45 | NVNevada | $26,560 | $26,550 | $27,270 | N/A | $26,566 |
Method
How the cost-of-living adjustment works
The adjusted column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity (RPP) and multiplies by 100. RPPs measure how much a fixed basket of goods, services and rents costs in one state relative to the national average, so the result restates local pay in national-average dollars.
For Social Science Research Assistants, that changes the ranking: Oklahoma leads on raw pay at $69,090, while Oklahoma leads once prices are taken into account at $78,652.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities by State, 2024 (public domain). The adjustment is NueCareer's calculation, not a BLS or BEA published statistic.
Questions
Social Science Research Assistant pay by state: FAQ
Which state pays Social Science Research Assistants the most?
Oklahoma reports the highest median wage for Social Science Research Assistants at $69,090 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), followed by Delaware ($68,230) and Kansas ($67,740).
Which state pays Social Science Research Assistants the least?
Nevada reports the lowest median for Social Science Research Assistants at $26,560 a year, $42,530 below the highest-paying state (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Where do Social Science Research Assistants earn the most after cost of living?
Dividing each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity puts Oklahoma first at $78,652 in national-average dollars, from a raw median of $69,090. BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.