Social Science Research Assistants
SOC code 19-4061 · 1,327 certified H-1B positions, FY2023–FY2026.
1,327
certified positions
$64,272
Median pay
$55,000
25th pct
$75,000
75th pct
$92,699
90th pct
$47,711
10th pct
Estimates from public U.S. Department of Labor records — wages are
employer-attested offered wages, not verified salaries paid; counts are filings, not
people. Not legal, financial, or career advice. See our
disclaimer & terms.
Data: DOL filings FY2023–FY2026 (through June 2026) · Page updated October 2026
$53,789
Median prevailing wage
$47,711$64,272 median$92,699
Quarterly median pay 2022-Q4 → 2026-Q2 · ▲ 8.6%
Wage-level mix DOL prevailing-wage levels on these filings
Level I · Entry — 341 (27%), med $54,000Level II · Qualified — 412 (32%), med $61,104Level III · Experienced — 293 (23%), med $68,750Level IV · Fully competent — 238 (19%), med $83,750
Top employers hiring
| Employer | Positions | Median |
|---|---|---|
| The Sphere Institute | 160 | $81,765 |
| New York University | 31 | $66,789 |
| Johns Hopkins University | 26 | $68,764 |
| CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES | 25 | $69,000 |
| The Trustees of Princeton University | 24 | $63,250 |
| The University of Texas at Austin | 22 | $60,500 |
| Texas A&M University | 22 | $56,484 |
| ATLANTIC COUNCIL OF THE UNITED STATES INC | 21 | $58,000 |
| Research Foundation of CUNY | 18 | $71,714 |
| THE ATLANTIC COUNCIL | 17 | $55,230 |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | 16 | $59,580 |
| Georgetown University | 15 | $77,500 |
| The College of William and Mary | 14 | $60,318 |
| University of Michigan | 13 | $55,000 |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA | 11 | $70,000 |
Top states
| State | Positions |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 231 |
| California | 184 |
| New York | 169 |
| Texas | 82 |
| Virginia | 66 |
| Illinois | 63 |
| Massachusetts | 63 |
| New Jersey | 58 |
| Maryland | 54 |
| Pennsylvania | 36 |
| Michigan | 36 |
| Minnesota | 25 |
| Colorado | 22 |
| Florida | 20 |
| Ohio | 17 |