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Research Associate III Salary in the United States

How much does a Research Associate III make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Research Associate III in the United States is $98,233 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $47.

However, a Research Associate III's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $113,175
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $90,251 to $106,054
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $82,984
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Research Associate III Salaries

A Research Associate III's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Research Associate Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Research Associate III's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $70,205
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $81,648
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $98,787
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $130,273
  • Expert (over 8 years): $159,063
Levels Salary
Research ... Level Research Associate III$70,205
Research ... Level Research Associate III$81,648
Research ... Level Research Associate III$98,787
Research ... Level Research Associate III$130,273
Research ... Level Research Associate III$159,063
View as Graph

How Do Research Associate III Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Research Associate IIIs. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $108,763.
  • California: $108,351.
  • Massachusetts: $106,907.

Top Paying Cities for Research Associate IIIs

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $123,901
  • San Francisco: $122,544
  • Oakland: $119,962

What Skills Can Increase a Research Associate III's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 13.05% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Data Analysis (Mentioned in 2.91% Job Postings): Data analysis is a process of inspecting, cleansing, transforming, and modeling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making. Data analysis has multiple facets and approaches, encompassing diverse techniques under a variety of names, and is used in different business, science, and social science domains. In today's business world, data analysis plays a role in making decisions more scientific and helping businesses operate more effectively. Data mining is a particular data analysis technique that focuses on modeling and knowledge discovery for predictive rather than purely descriptive purposes, while business intelligence covers data analysis that relies heavily on aggregation, focusing mainly on business information. In statistical applications, data analysis can be divided into descriptive statistics, exploratory data analysis (EDA), and confirmatory data analysis (CDA). EDA focuses on discovering new features in the data while CDA focuses on confirming or falsifying existing hypotheses. Predictive analytics focuses on application of statistical models for predictive forecasting or classification, while text analytics applies statistical, linguistic, and structural techniques to extract and classify information from textual sources, a species of unstructured data. All of the above are varieties of data analysis.
  • SOP (Mentioned in 1.68% Job Postings): SOP is A standard operating procedure is a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out routine operations.
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 13.05%
Data Analysis 2.91%
SOP 1.68%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Research Associate III's salary.

  • Oncology: Can increase your salary by up to 8%.
  • Team Development: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Oncology $106,091
8%
Team Development $105,109
7%
Biotechnology $105,109
7%
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Research Associate III Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Research Associate III roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 20% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Aerospace & Defense and Biotechnology sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 10% above the average. In contrast, Research Associate positions in Transportation or Retail & Wholesale typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Research Associate III as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Research Associate III

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Aerospace & Defense$108,056$52.010%
Biotechnology$108,056$52.010%
Energy & Utilities$108,056$52.010%
Financial Services$108,056$52.010%
Healthcare$108,056$52.010%

How Education impacts a Research Associate III's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Research Associate IIIs enter the field with a Master's Degree or MBA degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Research Associate III with a Master's Degree or MBA is between $102,607 and $109,390).

Research Associate III Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Research Associate III
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.0%
High School 1.6%
Associates 1.3%
Bachelors 28.0%
Masters 34.6%
Doctorate 33.5%
View as Graph

Research Associate III Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Research Associate III's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$90,251
Average $98,233/year
$106,054
$7,521
Average $8,186/month
$8,838
$1,736
Average $1,889/week
$2,040
$43
Average $47/hour
$51
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $106,054 $8,838 $2,040 $51
Average $98,233 $8,186 $1,889 $47
25th Percentile $90,251 $7,521 $1,736 $43

Most common benefits for Research Associate III

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Research Associate III

Here are companies hiring for Research Associate III and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Research Associate III

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Research Associate III?

The Aerospace & Defense industry offers the highest average compensation for Research Associate III roles, with salaries approximately 10% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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