Best Social Science Research Assistant programs in Georgia, ranked by enrollment
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research.
51 schools in Georgia run programs that feed this job, graduating 6,131 people a year. The job pays a median of $66,620 in Georgia across about 1,840 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Georgia that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
12 programs in Georgia that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Georgia (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Georgia page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 42.0101In Georgia → | 3,783 | 61.7% | 40 | $31,426 | $25,250 |
| 2 | CIP 45.1001In Georgia → | 1,054 | 17.2% | 31 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 3 | CIP 45.1101In Georgia → | 585 | 9.5% | 27 | $34,099 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 45.0603In Georgia → | 273 | 4.5% | 5 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 5 | CIP 45.0601In Georgia → | 210 | 3.4% | 10 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 6 | CIP 44.0501In Georgia → | 129 | 2.1% | 6 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
| 7 | Social Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 45.0101In Georgia → | 38 | 0.6% | 3 | $35,590 | $24,095 |
| 8 | Behavioral Sciencesmain feeder CIP 30.1701In Georgia → | 28 | 0.5% | 2 | $36,206 | $29,240 |
| 9 | CIP 30.4601In Georgia → | 11 | 0.2% | 1 | — | — |
| 10 | CIP 45.0604In Georgia → | 9 | 0.1% | 2 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 11 | CIP 45.0602In Georgia → | 7 | 0.1% | 1 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 12 | CIP 44.0503In Georgia → | 4 | 0.1% | 1 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
Top 25 schools in Georgia
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 29 of the 51 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Georgia Athens, GA Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,079 | Psychology, General | $29,874 | 90% | — | 38% |
| 2 | Georgia State University Atlanta, GA Public · 6 feeder programs | 1,017 | Psychology, General | $28,904 | 53% | — | 55% |
| 3 | Kennesaw State University Kennesaw, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 738 | Psychology, General | $31,450 | 52% | — | 69% |
| 4 | Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA Public · 5 feeder programs | 382 | Psychology, General | $26,313 | 55% | — | 88% |
| 5 | Emory University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 6 feeder programs | 319 | Psychology, General | $32,085 | 91% | $20,586 | 11% |
| 6 | University of West Georgia Carrollton, GA Public · 5 feeder programs | 276 | Psychology, General | $25,058 | 43% | — | 52% |
| 7 | Spelman College Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 243 | Psychology, General | $29,343 | 78% | $35,132 | 25% |
| 8 | Valdosta State University Valdosta, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 185 | Psychology, General | $26,448 | 42% | — | 72% |
| 9 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 165 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | — | 94% | — | 14% |
| 10 | Georgia Gwinnett College Lawrenceville, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 155 | Psychology, General | — | 21% | — | 95% |
| 11 | Clark Atlanta University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 124 | Psychology, General | $22,328 | 49% | $36,717 | 64% |
| 12 | Mercer University Macon, GA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 119 | Psychology, General | $27,785 | 70% | $22,641 | 69% |
| 13 | Augusta University Augusta, GA Public · 4 feeder programs | 109 | Psychology, General | $29,375 | 49% | — | 86% |
| 14 | Middle Georgia State University Macon, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 99 | Psychology, General | $28,262 | 25% | — | 100% |
| 15 | Columbus State University Columbus, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 93 | Psychology, General | $25,492 | 42% | — | 99% |
| 16 | Georgia Military College Milledgeville, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 89 | Psychology, General | — | 38% | — | — |
| 17 | Morehouse College Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 84 | Psychology, General | $31,474 | 59% | $36,431 | 44% |
| 18 | Life University Marietta, GA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 81 | Psychology, General | $34,260 | 38% | $30,667 | 93% |
| 19 | Albany State University Albany, GA Public · 3 feeder programs | 73 | Psychology, General | $26,187 | 31% | — | — |
| 20 | South University - Savannah Online Savannah, GA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Psychology, General | $28,684 | 7% | $28,691 | — |
| 21 | Fort Valley State University Fort Valley, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 62 | Psychology, General | $27,677 | 41% | — | 66% |
| 22 | University of North Georgia Dahlonega, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 55 | Political Science and Government, General | $37,227 | 37% | — | 68% |
| 23 | Covenant College Lookout Mountain, GA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 49 | Psychology, General | $28,180 | 71% | $22,535 | 87% |
| 24 | Savannah State University Savannah, GA Public · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Sociology, General | $28,747 | 28% | — | — |
| 25 | Oglethorpe University Atlanta, GA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 30 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 54% | $21,022 | 88% |
All 51 schools in Georgia
Every school in Georgia with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Georgia | Athens | Public | 1,079 | 6 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta | Public | 1,017 | 6 |
| Kennesaw State University | Kennesaw | Public | 738 | 3 |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro | Public | 382 | 5 |
| Emory University | Atlanta | Private not-for-profit | 319 | 6 |
| University of West Georgia | Carrollton | Public | 276 | 5 |
| Spelman College | Atlanta | Private not-for-profit | 243 | 4 |
| Valdosta State University | Valdosta | Public | 185 | 3 |
| Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus | Atlanta | Public | 165 | 3 |
| Georgia Gwinnett College | Lawrenceville | Public | 155 | 2 |
| Clark Atlanta University | Atlanta | Private not-for-profit | 124 | 3 |
| Mercer University | Macon | Private not-for-profit | 119 | 5 |
| Augusta University | Augusta | Public | 109 | 4 |
| Middle Georgia State University | Macon | Public | 99 | 2 |
| Columbus State University | Columbus | Public | 93 | 3 |
What social science research assistants earn in Georgia
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $61,990. Georgia pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Georgia employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Georgia
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Social Science Research Assistants page.
How to become a Social Science Research Assistant
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Georgia
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 19 majors mapped to Social Science Research Assistants19 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 03.0204Environmental/Natural Resource Economics
- 30.1701Behavioral Sciences
- 30.4601History and Political Science
- 42.0101Psychology, General
- 42.2708Psychometrics and Quantitative Psychology
- 44.0501Public Policy Analysis, General
- 44.0502Education Policy Analysis
- 44.0503Health Policy Analysis
- 44.0504International Policy Analysis
- 45.0101Social Sciences, General
- 45.0103Survey Research/Methodology
- 45.0601Economics, General
- 45.0602Applied Economics
- 45.0603Econometrics and Quantitative Economics
- 45.0604Development Economics and International Development
- 45.1001Political Science and Government, General
- 45.1004Political Economy
- 45.1101Sociology, General
- 45.1102Applied/Public Sociology
Common questions
Answers for people weighing social science research assistants programs in Georgia.
What degree do you need to become a Social Science Research Assistant?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Psychology, General, which awarded 3,783 degrees in Georgia in 2024-25, 61.7% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Social Science Research Assistant?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 12 programs to this occupation. The largest are Psychology, Political Science and Government, Sociology, Economics, plus 4 more. Together they graduate about 6,131 people a year in Georgia.
How much do social science research assistants earn in Georgia?+
The median is $66,620 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 7.5% above the U.S. median of $61,990. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for social science research assistants growing?+
BLS projects a +4.4% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 5,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Georgia?+
51 institutions in Georgia reported graduates from at least one of the 12 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do social science research assistants work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Research Assistant, Research Associate, Social Research Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 19-4061.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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