National Salary Info » Social Science Research Assistants

Highest Paying Industries for Social Science Research Assistants

The top 48 highest paying industries for social science research assistants (ranked by average annual salary) are listed in Table 1. The entry level salary (as measured by the salary of the lowest 10% paid earners) and the number of employment in those industries are also shown. As shown in the table, with an average annual salary of $54,550, performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries is the highest paying industry for social science research assistants. It is followed by business, professional, labor, political, and similar organizations industry (average annual salary $50,970). The salary and employment information is computed from data published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in May 2015 [1]. For more information about salaries of social science research assistants in a specific industry, use the links in the table.

Table 1. 48 Highest Paying Industries for Social Science Research Assistants

Rank	Industry	Average Salary i	Entry Level Salary i	# of Empl. i
1	Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries	$54,550	$21,110	n/a
2	Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations	$50,970	$21,900	240
3	Ambulatory Health Care Services	$47,900	$30,240	350
4	Management of Companies and Enterprises	$47,610	$19,110	130
5	Outpatient Care Centers	$46,750	$33,520	n/a
6	State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$46,380	$32,770	440
7	Health Care and Social Assistance	$45,730	$30,050	1,040
8	Hospitals - Privately owned	$45,220	$31,480	610
9	Hospitals (including private, state, and local government hospitals)	$45,040	$30,740	640
10	Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities	$44,510	$21,500	7,300
11	Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations	$44,120	$25,040	630
12	Other Services (except Federal, State, and Local Government)	$44,020	$24,780	630
13	Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation	$43,910	$22,810	220
14	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals - Privately owned	$43,740	$30,280	520
15	General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	$43,640	$29,420	530
16	Federal, State, and Local Government (OES Designation)	$43,390	$27,020	1,500
17	Federal, State, and Local Government	$43,390	$27,020	1,500
18	Scientific Research and Development Services	$42,770	$22,050	10,320
19	Social Assistance	$42,510	$24,380	40
20	Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OES Designation)	$42,460	$24,800	1,060
21	Local government, including schools and hospitals	$42,300	$24,120	1,120
22	Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions	$42,120	$24,490	170
23	Offices of Other Health Practitioners	$42,000	$26,570	120
24	Social Advocacy Organizations	$41,930	$29,860	350
25	Educational Support Services - Privately owned	$41,800	$31,500	190
26	Educational Support Services	$41,800	$31,500	190
27	Junior colleges - State government owned	$41,000	$32,000	50
28	Public sector -- Federal, state, and local government, including government owned schools and hospit	$40,510	$23,110	7,870
29	State government, including schools and hospitals	$40,200	$22,990	6,750
30	Educational Services - State government owned	$39,700	$22,450	6,280
31	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - State government owned	$39,690	$22,420	6,230
32	Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$38,700	$18,240	14,440
33	Educational Services	$38,580	$22,920	9,660
34	Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools	$38,480	$22,840	9,300
35	Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences	$38,450	$22,890	3,020
36	Junior Colleges (including private, state, and local government schools)	$38,160	$18,220	90
37	Educational Services - Local government owned	$37,850	$17,630	60
38	Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services	$37,410	$25,510	180
39	Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services	$37,270	$18,500	1,610
40	Educational Services - Privately owned	$36,960	$23,660	3,320
41	Engineering Services	$36,740	$26,170	150
42	Colleges, universities, and professional schools - Privately owned	$36,580	$23,410	3,070
43	Junior colleges - Local government owned	$33,240	$16,810	40
44	Employment Services	$31,520	$19,220	90
45	Administrative and Support Services	$31,520	$19,220	90
46	Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services	$31,520	$19,220	90
47	Temporary Help Services	$28,820	$17,960	40
48	Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services	$18,560	$17,020	2,300