Assistant Research Scientist Salary in the United States

How much does an Assistant Research Scientist make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for an Assistant Research Scientist in the United States is $108,484 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $52.

However, an Assistant Research Scientist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $134,969
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $102,574 to $122,347
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $97,193
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View as table View as graph 25% $102,574 10% $97,193 90% $134,969 75% $122,347 $108,484 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Assistant Research Scientist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $122,347 $10,196 $2,353 $59
Average $108,484 $9,040 $2,086 $52
25th Percentile $102,574 $8,548 $1,973 $49
Check out Assistant Research Scientist Job Openings in the United States
Senior Research Scientist

Nationwide Children's Hospital - Columbus, OH

Research Assistant

Evolution Research Group - Columbus, OH

Research Assistant

OhioHealth - Columbus, OH

Research Panel Assistant

Apex Focus Group Inc. - Columbus, OH

Search More Assistant Research Scientist Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Assistant Research Scientist Salaries

An Assistant Research Scientist'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.

Top Paying Cities for Assistant Research Scientists

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: $136,831
  • San Francisco: $135,333
  • Oakland: $132,481

What Skills Can Increase an Assistant Research Scientist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 13.75% 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 3.11% 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.
  • Oncology (Mentioned in 2.2% Job Postings): Designing, constructing, and repairing dental prosthetics and restorative and orthodontic devices to help patients correct dental conditions.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 13.75%
Data Analysis 3.11%
Oncology 2.2%
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 an Assistant Research Scientist's salary.
  • Cell Biology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Biotechnology: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Machine Learning: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Cell Biology
$116,078
7%
Biotechnology
$116,078
7%
Machine Learning
$114,993
6%
Bioinformatics
$114,993
6%
Cell Culture
$114,993
6%
Molecular Biology
$113,908
5%
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Assistant Research Scientist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Assistant Research Scientist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 40% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Biotechnology and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Assistant Research Scientist positions in Retail & Wholesale or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Assistant Research Scientist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for an Assistant Research Scientist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Biotechnology$130,181$63.020%
Energy & Utilities$124,757$60.015%
Chemicals$119,332$57.010%
Healthcare$113,908$55.05%

How Education impacts an Assistant Research Scientist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Assistant Research Scientists enter the field with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Assistant Research Scientist with a JD, MD, PhD or Equivalent is between $109,154 and $115,729).

Assistant Research Scientist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Assistant Research Scientist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.2%
High School 0.2%
Associates 0.6%
Bachelors 20.9%
Masters 16.0%
Doctorate 62.4%
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Assistant Research Scientist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Assistant Research Scientist'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 August 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Assistant Research Scientist

Salaries for an Assistant Research Scientist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $80,439 in 2023 to around $75,618 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Assistant Research Scientist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Assistant Research Scientist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$80,439
2024
$77,705
2025
$75,618
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $80,439
2024 $77,705
2025 $75,618
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Assistant Research Scientist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Assistant Research Scientist

Here are companies hiring for Assistant Research Scientist and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Assistant Research Scientist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Assistant Research Scientist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Occupons Quebec

    Columbus, OH

    Occupons Quebec | Columbus, OH

    Compensation: $45–$90 per completed task. The Consumer Insights Division of our organization is expanding its nationwide research team. We are seeking depe... more

    5 Days Ago

  • Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital

    Columbus, OH

    RN

    Ohio State Richard M. Ross Heart Hospital | Columbus, OH

    Travel Rn Stepdown (Pcu) Shift. Night shift - 12 hours. Start date: 09/21/2026. End date: 12/21/2026. Duration: 13 weeks. City: Columbus. State: OH more

    13 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Associate Vice President, Internal Communications. About the Company. National consulting & advisory services firm focused on the healthcare industry. Indu... more

    16 Days Ago

  • C.R. England

    Columbus, OH

    C.R. England | Columbus, OH

    Job Description. C.R. England is Now Urgently Hiring Local Dedicated CDL-A Truck Drivers. \n. Dedicated Local Fleet - Home Daily - Competitive Pay* - Full ... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    23 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    23 Days Ago

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FAQ about Assistant Research Scientist

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Assistant Research Scientist?

The Biotechnology industry offers the highest average compensation for Assistant Research Scientist roles, with salaries approximately 20% 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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