Research Assistant (Social Science) salary in Washington, DC
Based on 122 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Arlington, Washington Dc, Washington, D.c., Washington, Dc, Aldie.
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $53,236 |
| 25th | $60,000 |
| 50th (median) | $70,925 |
| 75th | $83,039 |
| 90th | $99,835 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $55,000 | $51,002 | $70,000 | 92 |
| FY2021 | $60,000 | $51,979 | $70,000 | 61 |
| FY2022 | $62,500 | $53,800 | $74,865 | 105 |
| FY2023 | $58,000 | $53,000 | $73,500 | 65 |
| FY2024 | $62,250 | $55,000 | $77,764 | 80 |
| FY2025 | $70,000 | $58,932 | $80,260 | 72 |
| FY2026 | $74,004 | $64,440 | $87,294 | 50 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Research Assistant (Social Science) salary of $70,925 is worth about $65,100 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Social Science Research Assistants in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $65,330 in May 2025 (2,170 employed). The H-1B median here is $70,925, 9% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Strategic and International Studies | too few | 9 |
| The Brookings Institution | too few | 7 |
| The Sphere Institute | too few | 7 |
| Atlantic Council of the United States | too few | 6 |
| The Atlantic Council | too few | 6 |
| Georgetown University | too few | 5 |
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | too few | 4 |
| Institute for Security and Technology | too few | 4 |
| Institute for the Study of War | too few | 3 |
| World Resources Institute | too few | 3 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $53,020 | 24 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $65,000 | 41 |
| Senior · Level III | $75,520 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $90,000 | 21 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $46,946 | $53,020 | 24 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $59,176 | $65,000 | 41 |
| Senior · Level III | $63,294 | $75,520 | 31 |
| Expert · Level IV | $82,555 | $90,000 | 21 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.