Career Atlas USA

Best States for Social Science Research Assistants

Ranked by the Career Atlas Opportunity Score, not raw pay — a high-paying state with few jobs or a high cost of living can rank below a more balanced one.

  1. 1Kentucky88.3 / 100
  2. 2Georgia84.2 / 100
  3. 3North Carolina83.9 / 100
  4. 4Missouri77 / 100
  5. 5District of Columbia73.8 / 100
  6. 6Arizona71.7 / 100
  7. 7South Carolina71 / 100
  8. 8Maryland67.8 / 100
  9. 9West Virginia66.8 / 100
  10. 10Michigan64.3 / 100
  11. 11New York64.2 / 100
  12. 12Nebraska62.6 / 100
  13. 13Kansas61.9 / 100
  14. 14California60 / 100
  15. 15Louisiana54.7 / 100

Also see highest-paying states (ranked by salary alone).