Paycheck Atlas

Social Science Research Assistants salary in California

The median social science research assistants in California earns $60,250 a year, 3% below the US median. After tax that is roughly $3,864 a month.

10th percentile
$38,060
25th percentile
$41,670
Median percentile
$60,250
75th percentile
$84,990
90th percentile
$117,070

Based on 5,300 employed. Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025. Percentiles show the spread of pay, not experience; reading the 25th percentile as "entry level" is only an approximation.

What you keep

$46,373 take-home a year
Gross pay$60,250
Federal income tax−$5,050
Social Security + Medicare−$4,609
California income tax (approx.)−$4,218
Monthly take-home$3,864
Every two weeks$1,784

Does it go far here?

$54,417Median pay in California is worth this at average US prices (local price level 110.7 vs 100).
53%of take-home pay goes to the median rent ($2,036 a month, Census ACS).

Top-paying jobs in California

JobMedian pay
Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric$400,150
Neurologists$357,080
Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers$353,900
Psychiatrists$353,500
General Internal Medicine Physicians$313,890
Obstetricians and Gynecologists$301,240
Nurse Anesthetists$292,410
Physicians, All Other$281,590

All social science research assistants salaries · Take-home pay in California