Research Associate Salary

Created by Henry Steele

By Henry Steele - January 8, 2018
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The following article discusses the career path of Research Associate. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Research Associates.

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Job Duties

Research associates carefully look at data, using this to produce reports for their employers. This means they can translate the meaning of data, check that the data is correct, and use this to validate theories and ideas. When they do not verify or examine information, they work with senior officers to showcase the lessons learned from the data and how the business can use this in future.

These professionals can work in public and private sectors. Most financial businesses needs research associates in order to be successful. Depending on the field and company they work for, these professionals often focus on data on a number of different subjects. They also rarely work alone, instead working in a team of other analysts, validating each other’s findings.

Other job duties of a research associate are:

  • To use different sources in order to analyze and research topics, essentially becoming an expert
  • To work with quantitative data, collecting and analyzing it
  • To provide written and spoken presentations on findings
  • To interview team members and clients in order to better understand their information needs and how those should be delivered

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 595,400 market research analysts in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:

  • Management, scientific, and technical consulting services: 12%
  • Finance and insurance: 10%
  • Wholesale trade: 9%
  • Management of companies and enterprises: 8%
  • Publishing industries (except Internet): 3%

How to Become

A research associate usually has at least a bachelor’s degree, most of the time in a major related to business or accounting. They also often complete additional education relevant to their particular industry or niche. They are also trained on giving presentations.

Education Requirements

A research associate usually has to have a bachelor’s degree in a field related to market research as a minimum. Many have majored in communications, social sciences, business administration, computer science, math, or statistics. This shows the variation of work and knowledge related to this profession.

It is generally expected that a research associate has completed courses in marketing, research methods, and statistics at least. Social sciences (consumer behavior and economics in particular) and communication courses are also important.

In some cases, a research associate is expected to hold a master’s degree. There are a number of relevant graduate programs, including marketing research. However, most complete the master of business administration (MBA), with concentrations in marketing or statistics. These degrees are particularly important if someone wants to take on a leadership or management position.

Research associates are not legally required to complete certification, but it does make them more in demand because it shows they have professional competency. The PRC (Professional Researcher Certification) is offered by the Marketing Research Association, for instance. A research associate must meet the necessary admission requirements for this, including additional education. The certification must be maintained through continuous education courses.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective research associates have the following traits to some degree or other:

  • Strong analytical skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
  • Great critical thinking skills
  • Detail oriented

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Research Associate was $46,919. This number is estimated from over 1,768,924 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $24.44 and monthly of $3,910.

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$14,000

$115,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Research Associate salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, Connecticut had the largest quoted salary of $70,953 while Nevada had the smallest quoted salary of $20,400.

AlaskaIdahoMississippiOregon
AlabamaIllinoisMontanaPennsylvania
ArkansasIndianaNorth CarolinaRhode Island
ArizonaKansasNorth DakotaSouth Carolina
CaliforniaKentuckyNebraskaSouth Dakota
ColoradoLouisianaNew HampshireTennessee
ConnecticutMassachusettsNew JerseyTexas
DCMarylandNew MexicoUtah
DelawareMaineNevadaVirginia
FloridaMichiganNew YorkWashington
GeorgiaMinnesotaOhioWisconsin
IowaMissouriOklahomaWyoming
Alaska – $40,761Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Alaska.

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$7.25

$46.50

Salary Distribution
Alabama – $46,822Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like UAB Medicine, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, University of Alabama, Birmingham, and Wells Fargo.

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$14,000

$99,000

Salary Distribution
Arkansas – $44,652Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Central Arkansas, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and University of Arkansas.

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$14,000

$93,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona – $43,880Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Northern Arizona University, University of Arizona, N Scottsdale eCommerce Solutions Firm, and Arizona State University.

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$15,000

$87,000

Salary Distribution
California – $52,773Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Allergan, Comparative Biosciences, Inc, Genentech, and WestEd.

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$14,000

$124,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado – $50,787Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Colorado, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, National Jewish Health, and Colorado State University.

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$18,000

$98,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut – $70,953Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like UCONN Health Center, University of Connecticut Health Center, Yale University, and University of Connecticut.

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$14,000

$170,000

Salary Distribution
DC – $50,532Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Judicial Branch, The Urban Institute, George Washington University, and VRS Recruitment.

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$14,000

$108,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware – $63,837Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Agriculture and DuPont.

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$28,000

$113,000

Salary Distribution
Florida – $44,280Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Central Florida, Mayo Clinic, Florida International University, and FLORIDA INSTITUTE FOR HUMAN AND MACHINE COGNITION.

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$14,000

$89,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia – $44,122Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Agriculture, CoStar Group, Georgia State University, and Emory University.

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$14,000

$116,000

Salary Distribution
Iowa – $28,992Rank: 44th
The average salary ranks 44th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like ACT, Inc., Principal Life Insurance Company, DuPont Pioneer, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc..

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$7.65

$23.50

Salary Distribution
Idaho – $26,227Rank: 47th
The average salary ranks 47th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Home Care Pulse and University of Idaho.

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$7.25

$26.45

Salary Distribution
Illinois – $47,016Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Northern Illinois University, Fermi Research Alliance, LLC, Northwestern University, and Illinois Institute of Technology.

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$14,000

$132,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana – $45,169Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Purdue University, Indiana University, Indiana Univ. Purdue Univ. Indianapolis, and University of Notre Dame.

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$18,000

$84,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas – $47,213Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The University of Kansas, University of Kansas – Center for Public Partnerships & Research, Wichita State University, and University of Kansas.

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$22,000

$81,000

Salary Distribution
Kentucky – $35,443Rank: 42nd
The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Louisville and University of Kentucky.

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$7.45

$34.25

Salary Distribution
Louisiana – $37,183Rank: 40th
The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Louisiana at Lafayette, LSU Agricultural Center, Louisiana State University, and LSU Health Sciences Center.

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$14,000

$76,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts – $56,752Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Arrowstreet Capital, Limited Partnership, Wellington Management Company LLP, Liberty Mutual, and Genzyme.

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$14,000

$126,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland – $55,290Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Agriculture, The Catholic University of America, George Washington University, and Westat.

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$22,000

$104,000

Salary Distribution
Maine – $37,462Rank: 39th
The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Maine and The University of Maine Franco American Program.

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$14,000

$80,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan – $41,877Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Wayne State University, Western Michigan University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Michigan State University.

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$16,000

$78,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota – $53,367Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, and ACET, Inc..

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$21,000

$100,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri – $44,098Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Monsanto, The Curators of the University of Missouri, University of Missouri, and Washington University in St. Louis.

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$14,000

$94,000

Salary Distribution
Mississippi – $39,196Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mississippi State University, Jackson State University, University of Mississippi, and Ulster University.

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$14,000

$84,000

Salary Distribution
Montana – $33,600Rank: 43rd
The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Montana State University and Project Vote Smart.

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$15,000

$60,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina – $49,444Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Zp group, Piper Companies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and Wake Forest University Health Sciences.

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$14,000

$111,000

Salary Distribution
North Dakota – $61,048Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Federal Government Jobs.

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$30,000

$102,000

Salary Distribution
Nebraska – $35,917Rank: 41st
The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Nebraska at Omaha and University of Nebraska Medical Center.

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$14,000

$114,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire – $46,754Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Dartmouth College and Meltwater Inc.

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$17,000

$90,000

Salary Distribution
New Jersey – $55,568Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Rutgers University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, APA International Placement Consultants LLC, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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$14,000

$139,000

Salary Distribution
New Mexico – $50,912Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like VuPoint Research and Sapphire Energy.

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$19,000

$97,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada – $20,400Rank: 48th
The average salary ranks 48th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Precision Opinion, National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, University of Nevada, Reno, and One Stop Career Center.

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$1,200

$2,600

Salary Distribution
New York – $68,616Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank, and Morgan Stanley.

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$14,000

$167,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio – $43,622Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Department of Agriculture, Battelle, Cleveland Clinic, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

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$14,000

$95,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma – $44,151Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Oklahoma, Dell, and AppleOne.

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$17,000

$84,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon – $51,962Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Oregon, Oregon Health Sciences University, State of Oregon, and Portland State University.

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$18,000

$102,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania – $57,045Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like PA Department of Health, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Penn State University, and Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania.

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$14,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Rhode Island – $48,151Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The University of Rhode Island and Brown University.

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$22,000

$84,000

Salary Distribution
South Carolina – $49,122Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Clemson University, University of South Carolina, and Wells Fargo.

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$14,000

$125,000

Salary Distribution
South Dakota – $47,063Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like South Dakota State University and Aerotek.

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$14,000

$98,000

Salary Distribution
Tennessee – $28,795Rank: 45th
The average salary ranks 45th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Vanderbilt University, ORAU/ORISE, Berg LLC, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

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$14,000

$48,000

Salary Distribution
Texas – $44,532Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Wood MacKenzie, Inc., Texas Transportation Institute, University of Texas at Austin, and The Methodist Hospital Research Institute.

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$14,000

$104,000

Salary Distribution
Utah – $49,957Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Utah.

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$14,000

$134,000

Salary Distribution
Virginia – $47,389Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Commonwealth of Virginia, CoStar Group, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, and Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University.

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$18,000

$89,000

Salary Distribution
Washington – $48,907Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Battelle, University Of Washington, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute.

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$19,000

$92,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin – $42,056Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like VETS PLUS INC, Medical College of Wisconsin, University of Wisconsin, and University of Wisconsin–Madison.

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$14,000

$112,000

Salary Distribution
Wyoming – $28,773Rank: 46th
The average salary ranks 46th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Wyoming Family Medicine Residency Program and University of Wyoming.

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$14,000

$53,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Research Associate. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary
ExxonMobilNew Jersey$169,470
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLPNew York$160,000
Bank of America Merrill LynchNew York$143,362
Deutsche BankNew York$141,101
Morgan StanleyNew York$138,734
AQR Capital ManagementConnecticut$136,342
Moody’s AnalyticsCalifornia$136,143
RBCNew York$134,884
Goldman SachsNew York$133,437
Credit SuisseNew York$129,850
Susquehanna International Group, LLPPennsylvania$127,294
Dimensional Fund Advisors LPTexas$125,515
CLSA Americas LLCNew York$123,277
JPMorgan ChaseNew York$116,590
U.S. Air ForceOhio$115,782
KLA IndustriesPennsylvania$115,576
Dodge & CoxCalifornia$109,402
Leerink Partners LLCMassachusetts$108,890
William Blair & Company, LLCIllinois$108,031
CitiNew York$107,913

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Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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