Best Social Science Research Assistant programs in Washington, ranked by enrollment
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research.
20 schools in Washington run programs that feed this job, graduating 3,704 people a year. The job pays a median of $50,420 in Washington across about 450 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Washington that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
13 programs in Washington that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Washington (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 Washington page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 42.0101In Washington → | 1,731 | 46.7% | 18 | $31,426 | $25,250 |
| 2 | CIP 45.1001In Washington → | 533 | 14.4% | 13 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 3 | CIP 45.1101In Washington → | 455 | 12.3% | 11 | $34,099 | $25,000 |
| 4 | CIP 45.0603In Washington → | 384 | 10.4% | 5 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 5 | Social Sciences, Generalmain feeder CIP 45.0101In Washington → | 313 | 8.5% | 3 | $35,590 | $24,095 |
| 6 | CIP 45.0601In Washington → | 110 | 3.0% | 8 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 7 | Behavioral Sciencesmain feeder CIP 30.1701In Washington → | 94 | 2.5% | 3 | $36,206 | $29,240 |
| 8 | CIP 45.1004In Washington → | 48 | 1.3% | 2 | $35,631 | $23,538 |
| 9 | CIP 44.0501In Washington → | 16 | 0.4% | 3 | $44,740 | $22,000 |
| 10 | CIP 45.0602In Washington → | 11 | 0.3% | 1 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 11 | CIP 45.0604In Washington → | 5 | 0.1% | 2 | $51,725 | $22,907 |
| 12 | CIP 03.0204In Washington → | 3 | 0.1% | 1 | $37,946 | $24,125 |
| 13 | CIP 30.4601In Washington → | 1 | 0.0% | 1 | — | — |
Top 20 schools in Washington
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 16 of the 20 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington State University Pullman, WA Public · 6 feeder programs | 884 | Psychology, General | $36,216 | 60% | — | 87% |
| 2 | University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA Public · 5 feeder programs | 769 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $53,934 | 85% | — | 39% |
| 3 | Western Washington University Bellingham, WA Public · 6 feeder programs | 409 | Psychology, General | $32,306 | 65% | — | 93% |
| 4 | Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA Public · 7 feeder programs | 336 | Psychology, General | $36,964 | 54% | — | 91% |
| 5 | Gonzaga University Spokane, WA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 186 | Psychology, General | $33,554 | 86% | $30,006 | 82% |
| 6 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA Public · 5 feeder programs | 182 | Psychology, General | $34,594 | 43% | — | 91% |
| 7 | University of Washington - Tacoma Campus Tacoma, WA Public · 2 feeder programs | 172 | Psychology, General | $34,660 | 63% | — | 83% |
| 8 | Seattle University Seattle, WA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 148 | Psychology, General | $37,452 | 76% | $31,900 | 77% |
| 9 | University of Washington - Bothell Campus Bothell, WA Public · 3 feeder programs | 128 | Psychology, General | — | 65% | — | 91% |
| 10 | Seattle Pacific University Seattle, WA Private not-for-profit · 5 feeder programs | 104 | Psychology, General | $40,264 | 62% | $24,653 | 83% |
| 11 | Whitworth University Spokane, WA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 79 | Psychology, General | $29,005 | 71% | $23,510 | 90% |
| 12 | Whitman College Walla Walla, WA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 73 | Econometrics and Quantitative Economics | $46,832 | 81% | $28,508 | 38% |
| 13 | Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 58 | Psychology, General | $30,757 | 69% | $19,944 | 78% |
| 14 | University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs | 55 | Psychology, General | $25,596 | 68% | $35,057 | 72% |
| 15 | Heritage University Toppenish, WA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 31 | Psychology, General | — | 54% | $13,380 | — |
| 16 | Saint Martin's University Lacey, WA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 28 | Psychology, General | $33,509 | 52% | $22,131 | 90% |
| 17 | Northwest University - Center for Online and Extended Education Kirkland, WA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 22 | Psychology, General | $30,547 | 50% | $26,831 | — |
| 18 | Antioch University - Seattle Seattle, WA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 18 | Psychology, General | — | — | — | — |
| 19 | Walla Walla University College Place, WA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 12 | Psychology, General | — | 60% | $22,260 | — |
| 20 | Northwest University Kirkland, WA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 10 | Psychology, General | $30,547 | 71% | $21,433 | 83% |
All 20 schools in Washington
Every school in Washington 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State University | Pullman | Public | 884 | 6 |
| University of Washington - Seattle Campus | Seattle | Public | 769 | 5 |
| Western Washington University | Bellingham | Public | 409 | 6 |
| Central Washington University | Ellensburg | Public | 336 | 7 |
| Gonzaga University | Spokane | Private not-for-profit | 186 | 4 |
| Eastern Washington University | Cheney | Public | 182 | 5 |
| University of Washington - Tacoma Campus | Tacoma | Public | 172 | 2 |
| Seattle University | Seattle | Private not-for-profit | 148 | 4 |
| University of Washington - Bothell Campus | Bothell | Public | 128 | 3 |
| Seattle Pacific University | Seattle | Private not-for-profit | 104 | 5 |
| Whitworth University | Spokane | Private not-for-profit | 79 | 4 |
| Whitman College | Walla Walla | Private not-for-profit | 73 | 3 |
| Pacific Lutheran University | Tacoma | Private not-for-profit | 58 | 4 |
| University of Puget Sound | Tacoma | Private not-for-profit | 55 | 4 |
| Heritage University | Toppenish | Private not-for-profit | 31 | 1 |
What social science research assistants earn in Washington
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $61,990. Washington pays below the national figure.
1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.
Metro areas in Washington
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 Washington
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 Washington.
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 1,731 degrees in Washington in 2024-25, 46.7% 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 13 programs to this occupation. The largest are Psychology, Political Science and Government, Economics, Sociology, plus 5 more. Together they graduate about 3,704 people a year in Washington.
How much do social science research assistants earn in Washington?+
The median is $50,420 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 18.7% below 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 Washington?+
20 institutions in Washington reported graduates from at least one of the 13 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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