Career comparison
Graduate Teaching Assistant vs. Social Science Research Assistant
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Social science research assistants earn more at the median ($61,990 vs. $42,910), while graduate teaching assistants usually get to work faster (Start during graduate school of training). Graduate teaching assistants teach college sections and labs while earning a graduate degree. Social science research assistants help researchers collect and analyze data on people and society.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Graduate Teaching Assistant | Social Science Research Assistant | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $42,910 | $61,990 ($29.81/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $28,600 – $76,420 | $38,090 – $102,070 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.7% (about as fast as average) | +5.0% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | 25,700 | 4,900 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | Start during graduate school | Entry-level with a degree |
| Key credential | TA training | CITI human subjects training |
| Work setting | TAs work in classrooms, labs and offices on campus.. | Research assistants work in universities, research firms and government offices.. |
What each job does
Graduate Teaching Assistant
- Lead discussion sections
- Run labs
- Grade assignments
- Hold office hours
- Help faculty with courses
Social Science Research Assistant
- Recruit participants
- Collect data
- Enter and clean data
- Run basic analyses
- Review literature
How they’re similar
Both careers involve helping others. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and science, engineering & lab, but share transferable skills such as patience and organization.
Which should you choose?
Choose graduate teaching assistant if…
- I’m going to graduate school
- I like explaining my field
- I can balance many tasks
Choose social science research assistant if…
- I like research
- I’m organized
- I like data
Still torn? Take the Graduate Teaching Assistant fit quiz and the Social Science Research Assistant fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, graduate teaching assistant or social science research assistant?
Social Science Research Assistants earn more at the median: $61,990 versus $42,910 for graduate teaching assistants, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Graduate Teaching Assistants typically train faster (Start during graduate school) than social science research assistants (Entry-level with a degree).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects social science research assistants to grow +5.0% from 2025–35, compared with +2.7% for graduate teaching assistants.