How much does a Research Assistant make in Los Angeles, CA?

Updated Sep 15, 2022

Experience

Industry

$42,846 / yrTotal Pay
$40,357 / yrBase Pay
$2,489 / yrAdditional Pay

$42,846

 / yr
$29K$63K
Most Likely Range
Possible Range

The estimated total pay for a Research Assistant is $42,846 per year in the Los Angeles, CA area, with an average salary of $40,357 per year. These numbers represent the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. The estimated additional pay is $2,489 per year. Additional pay could include cash bonus, commission, tips, and profit sharing. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role.

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Total Pay Trajectory

For Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA

$42,846 /yr
Research Assistant
$71,197 /yr
Senior Research Assistant
See Full Career Path

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Related Job Titles

For Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA

Some related job titles are Research Associate Salaries with median pay of $74,486, Clinical Research Assistant Salaries with median pay of $54,126, Graduate Research Assistant Salaries with median pay of $44,478, Lab Assistant Salaries with median pay of $40,475.

Top Paying Companies

For a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA

Below is the total pay for the top 10 highest paying companies for a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA. Employers include Resolution Economics, J. Paul Getty Trust and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

1
Resolution Economics
$58,651/yr
Total Pay Trajectory

For Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA

$42,846 /yr
Research Assistant

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What are total pay estimates for a Research Assistant at different companies in Los Angeles, CA?

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Company
Jobs
Total Pay Range
University of Southern California
4.3
Research AssistantSee 397 salaries from this location

$45,211

 / yr

$22

 / hr

$52,292

 / yr

$28

 / hr

$22

 / hr

$24

 / hr

$26

 / hr

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$27

 / hr

$25

 / hr

$22

 / hr

$28

 / hr

$21

 / hr

$24

 / hr

$21

 / hr

$23

 / hr

$24

 / hr

$35

 / hr

$41

 / hr

$24

 / hr

$106,843

 / yr
Download as data table
Viewing 1 - 20 of 240

Top Paying Industries

For a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA

The top 4 paying industries for a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA are Management & Consulting with a median total pay of $58,651, Nonprofit & NGO with a median total pay of $54,144, Healthcare with a median total pay of $53,095 and Education with a median total pay of $45,191.

IndustryTotal PayTotal Pay Insight
  • Management & ConsultingManagement & Consulting$58,651

    15% Higher than other industries

  • Nonprofit & NGONonprofit & NGO$54,144

    8% Higher than other industries

  • HealthcareHealthcare$53,095

    6% Higher than other industries

  • EducationEducation$45,191

    10% Lower than other industries

Management & Consulting

The top paying company in Management & Consulting for Research Assistant is Resolution Economics.

Resolution EconomicsResolution Economics$58,651/yr

Glassdoor Economist Pay Overview

What is the pay outlook for Research & Science?

Research and science jobs offer pay well above the national average. Increased demand for STEM workers is increasing salaries in research and science. Jobs in these fields, however, often require higher education at the graduate level and/or specialized training. While domain-specific expertise gives workers in these fields access to very specialized jobs, there are also many employers who hire STEM workers for their general data and technology skills.

How does the Research assistant salary in Los Angeles, CA compare to the national average salary in US for the same job?

The average salary for a Research assistant in US is $39,500 per year based on 16,161 salary contributions, which is 3.74% less than the salary for a Research assistant in Los Angeles, CA. The cost of living and the local demand for the work are among the factors affecting wages. The top 3 companies in US where a Research assistant gets the highest compensation are Bloomberg L.P., Accenture Ltd and Altria Group, Inc.. Bigger companies typically pay 35.05% more than smaller companies for a Research assistant.

Recent Salaries Shared

For research assistant in Los Angeles, CA

Salary Share
Anonymously share your pay to help the community

Job Title

Location

Total Pay

Base Pay | Additional Pay

Total Years of Experience

Years at Recent Employer

Submitted

Date or Time

Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$25

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$20

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

1-3 years
Yesterday
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 4-6 years

$18

/hr

Submitted Yesterday

4-6 years
Yesterday
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | <1 year

$25

/hr

Submitted 2 days ago

<1 year
2 days ago
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 10-14 years

$40,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

10-14 years
2 days ago
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$23

/hr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$36,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$18

/hr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago
Research Assistant

Los Angeles, CA

 | 1-3 years

$50,000

/yr

Submitted 2 days ago

1-3 years
2 days ago

Research Assistant pay FAQ in Los Angeles, CA

The average salary for a Research Assistant is $40,357 per year in Los Angeles, CA. Salaries estimates are based on 51631 salaries submitted anonymously to Glassdoor by a Research Assistant employees in Los Angeles, CA.

The highest salary for a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA is $58,456 per year.

The lowest salary for a Research Assistant in Los Angeles, CA is $27,862 per year.

If you are thinking of becoming a Research Assistant or planning the next step in your career, find details about the role, the career path and salary trajectory of a Research Assistant.

Working as a research assistant allows one to perform intellectually stimulating and impactful work while gaining valuable experience. The job stability and pay of a research assistant generally lags that senior researchers and professors, and funding is often dependent on grant renewal, but opportunities are more accessible to earlier career researchers. Since grants are typically most plentiful in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) occupations, research assistant with expertise in subjects such as biology, physics, chemistry, computer science, engineering and statistics can typically expect the highest pay.

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Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Anonymous Glassdoor data reveals that around 70% of research assistants are happy with the amount they make. If you want to make good money, a graduate degree and a few years of work experience will help provide a higher cap on your earning potential.

Join thousands of real professionals anonymously talking about salaries in their industry

Research assistant salaries vary, typically ranging between $29,305.65 and $63,011.72, with an average of $40,357.21. After bonuses, research assistants make about $42,846.47. However, your research assistant salary will depend on your skills, experience, and whether you follow a typical career path. With two to four years of experience as a research assistant, you may want to apply for senior research assistant roles.

Learn more about negotiating salaries from thousands of other real professionals

If you want to make more money as a research assistant, there are a few things you can do to qualify for high-paying positions. Make sure that you have a bachelor's degree in a subject related to your chosen role, whether that's biology or history. Spend time on skills such as typing, academic writing, Microsoft Excel, and data collection and analysis. Soft skills that you should emphasize in your applications include the ability to work in teams, meet deadlines, and manage your schedule. Consider networking with academics or research assistants and tracking developments in your chosen field.

Do you feel like you deserve a higher salary as a research assistant? Whether you're just applying for research assistant jobs or want a better salary in your current role, here's how to negotiate. Make a list of all the skills, experiences, and qualifications that you feel qualify you for a higher salary. In the negotiation, discuss your qualifications, and explain why you think you bring more to the role than the average candidate. In deciding what to ask for, research some job listings to determine what type of figure to ask for and stick to your chosen number when negotiating.