As of July 01, 2026, the average annual salary for Graduate Research Assistant in the US is $54,055, equivalent to $26 per hour, $1,040 weekly, or $4,505 monthly. These figures, sourced from Salary.com’s real-time job posting scans, highlight competitive earning potential for Graduate Research Assistant in cities like San Jose, Santa Clara, and San Francisco.

Annually Salaries for Graduate Research Assistant in the US vary widely, spanning from $39,518 to $69,670. Most professionals fall between the 25th percentile ($46,446) and 75th percentile ($62,229), while top earners (90th percentile) make $69,670 per year. This $15,783 pay gap underscores opportunities for salary growth through certifications, specialized skills like Integrity or Oncology, or targeting high-paying regions like District of Columbia or California.

Location and experience significantly influence earnings. For example, District of Columbia Graduate Research Assistant often earn 10.7% above national averages due to demand from Fortune 48 companies and industry startups. Professionals are advised to focus on high-growth sectors like to offset market challenges.

Based on HR-reported data: a national average with a geographic differential
Graduate Research Assistant Salaries by Percentile
Percentile Salary Location Last Updated
10th Percentile Graduate Research Assistant Salary $39,518 US July 01, 2026
25th Percentile Graduate Research Assistant Salary $46,446 US July 01, 2026
50th Percentile Graduate Research Assistant Salary $54,055 US July 01, 2026
75th Percentile Graduate Research Assistant Salary $62,229 US July 01, 2026
90th Percentile Graduate Research Assistant Salary $69,670 US July 01, 2026
25% $46,446 10% $39,518 90% $69,670 75% $62,229 $54,055 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click
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Check out Graduate Research Assistant jobs in Columbus, Ohio

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What is a Graduate Research Assistant ?

A research assistant is a researcher employed, often on a temporary contract, by a university or a research institute, for the purpose of assisting in academic research. Research assistants are not independent and not directly responsible for the outcome of the research and are responsible to a supervisor or principal investigator. Research assistants are often educated to degree level and might be enrolled in a postgraduate degree program and simultaneously teach....

Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/18/2019). Read more from Wikipedia

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Job Openings for Graduate Research Assistant

Career Path for this job

  1. Down a level:

    Staff Nurse - RN - Research


    Bachelor's Degree

  2. This Job:

    Graduate Research Assistant

    0 - 2 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

  3. Up a level:

    Clinical Research Associate II

    2 - 4 years experience
    Bachelor's Degree

Understand the total compensation opportunity for a Graduate Research Assistant, base salary plus other pay elements

Average Base Salary

Core compensation

 
 
 
46446
62229
54055

Average Total Cash Compensation

Includes base and annual incentives

 
 
 
53739
69448
61624
These charts show the average base salary (core compensation), as well as the average total cash compensation for the job of Graduate Research Assistant in the United States. The base salary for Graduate Research Assistant ranges from $46,446 to $62,229 with the average base salary of $54,055. The total cash compensation, which includes base, and annual incentives, can vary anywhere from $53,739 to $69,448 with the average total cash compensation of $61,624.

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46446
62229

 

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