Best Social Science Research Assistant programs in Kentucky, ranked by enrollment
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research.
24 schools in Kentucky run programs that feed this job, graduating 2,449 people a year. The job pays a median of $66,390 in Kentucky across about 1,190 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Kentucky that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
9 programs in Kentucky that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Kentucky (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 Kentucky page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 42.0101In Kentucky → | 1,702 | 69.5% | 23 | $31,426 | $25,250 |
| 2 | CIP 45.1001In Kentucky → | 330 | 13.5% | 18 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 3 | CIP 45.1101In Kentucky → | 189 | 7.7% | 15 | $34,099 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 45.0603In Kentucky → | 79 | 3.2% | 5 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 5 | CIP 45.0601In Kentucky → | 67 | 2.7% | 9 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 6 | Social Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 45.0101In Kentucky → | 40 | 1.6% | 7 | $35,590 | $24,095 |
| 7 | CIP 44.0501In Kentucky → | 35 | 1.4% | 1 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
| 8 | CIP 45.0604In Kentucky → | 6 | 0.2% | 1 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 9 | CIP 44.0502In Kentucky → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
Top 24 schools in Kentucky
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 14 of the 24 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KY Public · 7 feeder programs | 523 | Psychology, General | $28,551 | 71% | — | 93% |
| 2 | University of Louisville Louisville, KY Public · 4 feeder programs | 344 | Psychology, General | $30,416 | 61% | — | 79% |
| 3 | Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY Public · 3 feeder programs | 338 | Psychology, General | $28,273 | 50% | — | 78% |
| 4 | Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY Public · 6 feeder programs | 234 | Psychology, General | $25,936 | 56% | — | 94% |
| 5 | University of the Cumberlands Williamsburg, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 175 | Psychology, General | $36,913 | 50% | $11,672 | 99% |
| 6 | Northern Kentucky University Highland Heights, KY Public · 5 feeder programs | 159 | Psychology, General | $36,209 | 52% | — | 68% |
| 7 | Morehead State University Morehead, KY Public · 4 feeder programs | 88 | Sociology, General | $34,511 | 52% | — | 77% |
| 8 | Centre College Danville, KY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 87 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $51,077 | 81% | $18,407 | 54% |
| 9 | Bellarmine University Louisville, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 72 | Psychology, General | $29,028 | 64% | $22,542 | 86% |
| 10 | Georgetown College Georgetown, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 52 | Psychology, General | $33,921 | 49% | $12,666 | 91% |
| 11 | Berea College Berea, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 48 | Psychology, General | — | 58% | $5,274 | 19% |
| 12 | Campbellsville University Campbellsville, KY Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 44 | Psychology, General | $31,478 | 42% | $18,824 | 80% |
| 13 | Transylvania University Lexington, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 37 | Psychology, General | — | 71% | $21,881 | 87% |
| 14 | Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY Public · 3 feeder programs | 36 | Psychology, General | — | 32% | — | 96% |
| 15 | Murray State University Murray, KY Public · 4 feeder programs | 34 | Political Science and Government, General | — | 61% | — | 86% |
| 16 | Lindsey Wilson University Columbia, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 27 | Psychology, General | — | 44% | $14,471 | — |
| 17 | Thomas More University Crestview Hills, KY Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 26 | Psychology, General | — | 40% | $18,902 | 90% |
| 18 | Brescia University Owensboro, KY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Psychology, General | $22,619 | 54% | $14,604 | 35% |
| 19 | Midway University Midway, KY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 22 | Psychology, General | $27,403 | 41% | $23,658 | 95% |
| 20 | Asbury University Wilmore, KY Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 20 | Psychology, General | — | 65% | $19,816 | 63% |
| 21 | Spalding University Louisville, KY Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 19 | Psychology, General | $40,262 | 52% | $23,661 | 99% |
| 22 | University of Pikeville Pikeville, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 17 | Psychology, General | — | 42% | $13,886 | — |
| 23 | Kentucky Wesleyan College Owensboro, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 16 | Psychology, General | — | 47% | $36,525 | 72% |
| 24 | Union Commonwealth University Barbourville, KY Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 9 | Psychology, General | — | 32% | $28,386 | 63% |
All 24 schools in Kentucky
Every school in Kentucky 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 Kentucky | Lexington | Public | 523 | 7 |
| University of Louisville | Louisville | Public | 344 | 4 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | Richmond | Public | 338 | 3 |
| Western Kentucky University | Bowling Green | Public | 234 | 6 |
| University of the Cumberlands | Williamsburg | Private not-for-profit | 175 | 2 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights | Public | 159 | 5 |
| Morehead State University | Morehead | Public | 88 | 4 |
| Centre College | Danville | Private not-for-profit | 87 | 3 |
| Bellarmine University | Louisville | Private not-for-profit | 72 | 4 |
| Georgetown College | Georgetown | Private not-for-profit | 52 | 4 |
| Berea College | Berea | Private not-for-profit | 48 | 4 |
| Campbellsville University | Campbellsville | Private not-for-profit | 44 | 5 |
| Transylvania University | Lexington | Private not-for-profit | 37 | 4 |
| Kentucky State University | Frankfort | Public | 36 | 3 |
| Murray State University | Murray | Public | 34 | 4 |
What social science research assistants earn in Kentucky
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $61,990. Kentucky pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Kentucky employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Kentucky
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 Kentucky
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 Kentucky.
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 1,702 degrees in Kentucky in 2024-25, 69.5% 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 9 programs to this occupation. The largest are Psychology, Political Science and Government, Sociology, Economics, plus 2 more. Together they graduate about 2,449 people a year in Kentucky.
How much do social science research assistants earn in Kentucky?+
The median is $66,390 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 7.1% 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 Kentucky?+
24 institutions in Kentucky reported graduates from at least one of the 9 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
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card