How much does a social scientist make?
Answer: A typical social scientist in the United States makes $101,110 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 37,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).
If 100 people had this job
Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-rightHover over a person to see their yearly pay
Social scientist pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $66,120 | $101,110 | $160,300 | about 37,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | $140,670 | about 3,000 |
| Maryland | $131,810 | about 3,000 |
| District of Columbia | $128,440 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $105,640 | about 820 |
| Colorado | $105,390 | about 790 |
Why does pay differ?
In the US, experience, education and useful research or data skills, the exact duties or specialty, and employer type can affect pay. BLS data also show differences by industry and location; credentials may matter when employers value them.
What if you lived in a different state?
Pay varies a lot by state in the USTop 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
What does a social scientist do?
All social scientists and related workers not listed separately.
What's a typical day like?
Depending on their specialty, social scientists may test survey questions or interview people, then organize the answers. They study the data on a computer, make charts, and write a report explaining what the evidence shows.
How to get this job
US BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as the entry education for this broad group, though members do different jobs. Study a social-science field, research methods and statistics; internships help, and some research roles prefer graduate study.
Did you know?
The US General Social Survey has tracked Americans’ views since 1972, making it the country’s longest-running national survey of public opinion.
Similar jobs
Jobs using similar skills (O*NET)Earn more in the same field
Life, Physical, and Social Science jobs that pay a bit moreSources and data
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/19-3099.00
- www.bls.gov/emp/tables/education-and-training-by-occupation.htm
- www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/print/survey-researchers.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes193099.htm
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.norc.org/research/library/results-of-the-2018-general-social-survey-now-avai
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY