Research Assistants: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of research assistants about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for research assistants to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of research assistants expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for research assistants.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Research Assistants?
Do research assistants need a degree? What kind of experience do research assistants typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for research assistants to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Research Assistants
Jobs Postings for Research Assistants By Education
- Master's degree: 61 (28%)
- Bachelor's degree: 55 (26%)
- No Education Listed: 46 (21%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 46 (21%)
- High School or GED: 7 (3%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of research assistants. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 28% of positions. In 26% of job listings a bachelor's degree was required and in 21% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Research Assistants
Jobs Postings for Research Assistants By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 12 (27%)
- 2-3 Years: 24 (53%)
- 4-6 Years: 8 (18%)
- 10+ Years: 1 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for research assistants. In 53% of job postings for Research Assistants, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 27% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 18% of job postings for research assistants.
What Kind of Degree Do Research Assistants Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for research assistants, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 63 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective research assistants, and in 2023 a total of 275,498 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective research assistants.
Top Degree Programs for Research Assistants
Top 5 Degree Programs for Research Assistants (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Sociology, General. | 33,034 |
| Economics, General. | 21,664 |
| Social Sciences, General. | 15,927 |
| Public Administration. | 15,683 |
| Criminology. | 10,562 |
| Public Policy Analysis, General. | 5,838 |
| Geography. | 3,732 |
| Religion/Religious Studies. | 2,991 |
| Women's Studies. | 2,783 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,454 |
| Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other. | 2,381 |
| American/United States Studies/Civilization. | 1,225 |
| Civil Engineering Technologies/Technicians. | 1,184 |
| Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. | 1,067 |
| African-American/Black Studies. | 918 |
| Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies. | 760 |
| Regional Studies (U.S., Canadian, Foreign). | 744 |
| Asian Studies/Civilization. | 730 |
| Area Studies, Other. | 640 |
| East Asian Studies. | 593 |
| Intercultural/Multicultural and Diversity Studies. | 584 |
| Sociology and Anthropology. | 552 |
| American Indian/Native American Studies. | 547 |
| Public Administration and Social Service Professions, Other. | 545 |
| Ethnic Studies. | 539 |
| Latin American Studies. | 537 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 429 |
| Disability Studies. | 427 |
| Deaf Studies. | 337 |
| Near and Middle Eastern Studies. | 336 |
| African Studies. | 193 |
| Asian-American Studies. | 149 |
| Public Policy Analysis, Other. | 143 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 142 |
| French Studies. | 136 |
| European Studies/Civilization. | 135 |
| Russian Studies. | 115 |
| Latin American and Caribbean Studies. | 102 |
| German Studies. | 101 |
| Applied/Public Sociology. | 96 |
| Russian, Central European, East European and Eurasian Studies. | 89 |
| Italian Studies. | 85 |
| Gay/Lesbian Studies. | 82 |
| Chinese Studies. | 71 |
| Western European Studies. | 69 |
| History and Political Science. | 68 |
| Folklore Studies. | 66 |
| Japanese Studies. | 63 |
| Spanish and Iberian Studies. | 49 |
| South Asian Studies. | 43 |
| Scandinavian Studies. | 24 |
| Pacific Area/Pacific Rim Studies. | 17 |
| Southeast Asian Studies. | 14 |
| Ural-Altaic and Central Asian Studies. | 11 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 10 |
| Irish Studies. | 6 |
| Korean Studies. | 6 |
| Slavic Studies. | 4 |
| Commonwealth Studies. | 3 |
| Caribbean Studies. | 1 |
| Canadian Studies. | 1 |
| Survey Research/Methodology. | 1 |
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What Skills Do Research Assistants Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by research assistants to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for research assistants, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Research Assistants
Based on 156 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Research Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences | 78 | 50% |
| Anthropology | 50 | 32% |
| Political Sciences | 37 | 24% |
| Statistics | 36 | 23% |
| Data Collection | 28 | 18% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Research Assistants
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 143 | 92% |
| Communication | 52 | 33% |
| Writing | 50 | 32% |
| Teaching | 40 | 26% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 24 | 15% |
Based on 156 job postings related to research assistants, social sciences was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 50% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for anthropology, political sciences, statistics, data collection and crime prevention were also highly sought.
As for common skills, research was the most desired skill found in job postings for research assistants, followed by communication, writing, teaching, interpersonal communications and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Social Sciences | 78 | 50% |
| Anthropology | 50 | 32% |
| Political Sciences | 37 | 24% |
| Statistics | 36 | 23% |
| Data Collection | 28 | 18% |
| Crime Prevention | 23 | 15% |
| Data Entry | 19 | 12% |
| Research Experiences | 19 | 12% |
| Data Analysis | 16 | 10% |
| Archaeology | 15 | 10% |
| Psychology | 15 | 10% |
| Biology | 14 | 9% |
| Institutional Review Board (IRB) | 14 | 9% |
| Research Methodologies | 13 | 8% |
| Sociology | 13 | 8% |
| Cultural Anthropology | 12 | 8% |
| Database Management | 12 | 8% |
| Public Policies | 12 | 8% |
| Scientific Theory | 12 | 8% |
| Geography | 11 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Research | 143 | 92% |
| Communication | 52 | 33% |
| Writing | 50 | 32% |
| Teaching | 40 | 26% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 24 | 15% |
| Planning | 24 | 15% |
| Management | 23 | 15% |
| Microsoft Office | 23 | 15% |
| Presentations | 21 | 13% |
| Organizational Skills | 18 | 12% |
| Detail Oriented | 17 | 11% |
| Mentorship | 17 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 17 | 11% |
| English Language | 16 | 10% |
| Editing | 15 | 10% |
| Collections | 14 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 14 | 9% |
| Leadership | 14 | 9% |
| Problem Solving | 14 | 9% |
| Advising | 10 | 6% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about research assistants? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for research assistants.
What do research assistants do?
How much do research assistants make?
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