Social Science Research Assistants
Life, Physical, and Social Science · SOC 19-4061
AI exposure from the Anthropic Economic Index (2025); salary from BLS; skills from O*NET. See /sources.
Decision card
Career Evidence Passport
SOC 19-4061 evidence across exposure, wages, projections, postings, certified LCAs, skills, and transitions.
- SOC exposure
- 43.9%
- Very High · Anthropic AEI
- Automation friction
- 49/100
- Moderate friction; broad SOC seed ORS job-requirements coverage.
- Wages
- $61,990
- H-1B offered wage $65,115; LCAs are filings.
- Projected openings
- 5,300
- BLS EP 2024–2034; employment change +4.4%.
- Observed/proxy demand
- 362
- FY2025 certified LCAs; 8,973 postings in 2025.
Skill evidence
- H-1B values are certified Labor Condition Applications, not visa approvals.
- Job postings are seed-static / seed-derived; treat as provider-ready proxy coverage until observed provider data is wired in.
- Transition matches are directional skill-overlap context, not placement guarantees.
- This release is a FutureGrid broad-SOC seed derived from public BLS ORS requirement concepts and categories, not direct occupation-level ORS survey estimates. It describes job requirements, not worker ability, AI capability, or displacement probability. Automation friction is a FutureGrid derived score and should be read alongside exposure, demand, wage, and projection signals.
Best transitions from here
Explore all pathways→Lower AI-exposure roles that reuse your skills, ranked by a transition score (skills that transfer, safety gain, pay and retraining effort).
AI Exposure Analysis
Across AI measures
Multiple exposure lenses for this occupation.
AI could do ~66.7% of this role but only ~43.9% is currently done with AI — a large capability-vs-adoption gap.
Top Skills
H-1B Visa Sponsorship Demand
View full H-1B trends →Certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications naming this occupation, FY2016–FY2025. A descriptive high-skill labor-demand signal — employer filings, not visa approvals or individual outcomes. Note: one LCA can cover multiple worker positions.
O*NET occupation profile
What this work involves
Assist social scientists in laboratory, survey, and other social science research. May help prepare findings for publication and assist in laboratory analysis, quality control, or data management.
Common titles: Clinical Research Assistant, Graduate Assistant, Graduate Research Assistant, Research Aide, Research Assistant, Research Associate
Representative Tasks
- •Design and create special programs for tasks such as statistical analysis and data entry and cleaning.
- •Provide assistance with the preparation of project-related reports, manuscripts, and presentations.
- •Prepare tables, graphs, fact sheets, and written reports summarizing research results.
- •Perform descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses of data, using computer software.
- •Verify the accuracy and validity of data entered in databases, correcting any errors.
Detailed Work Activities
- •Develop software or applications for scientific or technical use.
- •Collect information from people through observation, interviews, or surveys.
- •Administer standardized physical or psychological tests.
- •Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
- •Recruit personnel.
Tools & Technologies
Employment Projections & AI Exposure
Employment & Wage Trend
BLS OEWS, 2019–2025
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). See /sources.
Sector Comparison
| Metric | This Career | Sector Average |
|---|---|---|
| AI Exposure | 43.9% | 9.7% |
| Outlook | Bright ↗ | 37% Bright |
| Median Salary | $61,990 | N/A |
| AI Resiliency | 56/100 | N/A |