← All 785 jobsFile 19-4061
Social Science Research Assistants
Lightly edited
AI performs some of this work. Most of it still needs a person. The BLS expects 5% more of these jobs by 2035, faster than the 3.5% average.
- Rank
- Joint #268 of 785 jobs, by how much of the work AI does
- US jobs, 2025 to 2035
- +5% All jobs: +3.5%
- Median US pay
- $61,990 a year, 2025
- People doing it
- 38,400 in the US, with about 4,900 openings a year
The work, 13 activities
The job description, marked up.
Every activity in this job, the biggest first. Tap a line for the evidence.
- deleAI does this
- +AIAI helps
- stetStill yours
AI does this: Present research or technical information20%
AI performed this in about 1 in 30 Copilot conversations and completed it 90% of the time.
Still yours: Collect information about patients or clients13%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Maintain operational records12%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Develop research plans or methodologies9%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Design computer or information systems or applications8%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 938 conversations, and it got them there 85% of the time.
Still yours: Perform human resources activities6%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI does this: Research historical or social issues6%
AI performed this in about 1 in 360 Copilot conversations and completed it 88% of the time.
AI helps with this: Gather information from physical or electronic sources6%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 4 conversations, and it got them there 87% of the time. In this job the work is hands-on, so AI can only assist.
Still yours: Design databases5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Direct scientific or technical activities5%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
Still yours: Prepare legal or regulatory documents4%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
AI helps with this: Confer with clients to determine needs or order specifications2%
People asked AI for help with this in about 1 in 502 conversations, and it got them there 54% of the time.
Still yours: Supervise personnel activities2%
Barely appears in AI conversations: fewer than 1 in 2,000.
2025 to 2035
Ten years from now.
For every 100 of these jobs in 2025, the BLS projects 105 in 2035. Across all US jobs, about 104.
About 4,900 openings a year, from growth and from people who retire or move on.
Nearby
Where your skills travel.
Jobs that share the most work with this one, where AI does less of it.
- Shares 32% of the workEnvironmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health18% AI does, against 27% here+6.9% by 2035 · $55,090 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 27% of the workGeological Technicians11% AI does, against 27% here+3.6% by 2035 · $53,350 · Associate’s degree
- Shares 25% of the workHydrologists19% AI does, against 27% here+1.5% by 2035 · $96,600 · Bachelor’s degree
The wire
On the wire.
Nothing filed about this job yet. The latest from the Planet front:
How to read this file.
deleAI does this. In US Bing Copilot conversations from January to September 2024, AI itself performed the activity, completed it and made a real difference often enough to count.
+AIAI helps. People brought the activity to AI as their own goal, and it usually got them there.
stetStill yours. It barely shows up in AI use, AI rarely finishes it, or in this job it needs hands.
Shares are weighted by how much each activity matters in the job, using O*NET. Microsoft’s own AI applicability score for this job is 0.20, higher than 70% of jobs.
Doing an activity is not doing a job. The researchers behind this data warn against reading it as job loss, and so do we. It is US data; the shape of the work travels.
Sources: Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025) · O*NET OnLine, 19-4061 · BLS Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
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