H-1B Hiring for Social Science Research Assistants Surges in FY2025
Explore H-1B visa filings for Social Science Research Assistants. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 100 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 95% |
| Average Salary | $74,899 |
| Salary Range | $38,316 - $152,110 |
| Top Sponsor | The Sphere Institute |
| Primary Location | New York |
Social Science Research Assistants is one of the H-1B visa categories with 114 filings and an average salary of $72,209. Hiring for Social Science Research Assistants shows a significant increase in FY2025, with 97 positions, compared to previous years. New York, California, and Washington D.C. are the top states for H-1B hiring in this role, indicating concentrated opportunities in these regions. The median salary for this role is $67,108, which is slightly above the average salary of $65,000 for all H-1B positions. The number of positions is relatively low overall, with only 114 total positions analyzed, suggesting a niche but potentially growing field.
| Total Filings | 100 |
| Approval Rate | 95% |
| Average Salary | $74,899 |
| Median Salary | $68,037 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,528 |
| 75th Percentile | $83,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $38,316 |
| Maximum Salary | $152,110 |
| 10th Percentile | $54,080 |
| 25th Percentile | $60,528 |
| Median (50th) | $68,037 |
| 75th Percentile | $83,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $110,000 |
| Average | $74,899 |
| Sample Size | 100 |
| Visa Class | Filings |
|---|---|
| H-1B | 92 |
| E-3 AUSTRALIAN | 7 |
| H-1B1 SINGAPORE | 1 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 100 |
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| The Sphere Institute | 19 | $92k |
| New York University | 7 | $72k |
| Johns Hopkins University | 4 | $72k |
| Georgetown University | 3 | $83k |
| Texas A&M University | 3 | $58k |
| Public Policy Institute of California | 2 | $72k |
| UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA | 2 | $59k |
| University of North Texas Health Science Center | 2 | $47k |
| Carnegie Endowment for International Peace | 2 | $60k |
| Public Policy Lab Inc | 2 | $118k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| New York | 22 |
| California | 20 |
| District of Columbia | 11 |
| Texas | 8 |
| Maryland | 5 |
| Massachusetts | 5 |
| New Jersey | 4 |
| Florida | 3 |
| Virginia | 3 |
| North Carolina | 2 |
Focus your H-1B job search on New York, California, and Washington D.C., and highlight your research methodologies and data analysis skills to align with the growing demand projected for FY2025.
The average H-1B salary for Social Science Research Assistants is $72,209, with a median of $67,108. The 25th-75th percentile range is $60,000 to $80,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Social Science Research Assistants include The Sphere Institute, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, Texas A&M University, The Trustees of Princeton University. A total of 64 employers have filed for this role.
There are 114 H-1B filings on record for Social Science Research Assistants positions. 96.5% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Social Science Research Assistants positions are New York (20), California (17), District of Columbia (13), Texas (11), Maryland (10).
Yes, Social Science Research Assistants is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 114 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Social Science Research Assistants salaries range from $38,316 to $152,110. The median salary is $67,108.
The approval rate for Social Science Research Assistants H-1B petitions is 96.5%. The overwhelming majority of FY2025 positions (97 out of 114) are concentrated in the latest fiscal year, suggesting a recent surge or a projection for future demand.
Geographic concentration is evident, with the top 5 states accounting for 71% of the analyzed positions.
Focus your H-1B job search on New York, California, and Washington D.C., and highlight your research methodologies and data analysis skills to align with the growing demand projected for FY2025.
The median salary is competitive, indicating that employers are willing to offer fair compensation for these roles.
The Social Science Research Assistants occupation (SOC code 19-406100) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Social Science Research Assistants positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Social Science Research Assistants positions is Not Specified (100 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 100 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Social Science Research Assistants positions show an average offered salary of $74,899, with a range from $38,316 at the entry level to $152,110 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in New York (22 filings) and California (20 filings).
Career outlook for Social Science Research Assistants professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Social Science Research Assistants role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Social Science Research Assistants roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Social Science Research Assistants positions, the average offered salary of $74,899 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 29%, with 84% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Social Science Research Assistants positions is 95%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Social Science Research Assistants positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Social Science Research Assistants H-1B filings is approximately 33 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Social Science Research Assistants positions.