Also called: Research Assistant, Junior Fellow
Supports policy researchers by gathering data, checking facts, and drafting sections of reports.
Research assistants at think tanks pull data from government websites, build charts, fact-check citations, and take notes at events. Many are recent grads who stay 1-2 years before grad school. It's a front-row seat to how policy ideas are made.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. A bachelor's in political science, economics or public policy, with strong research and writing skills, often from internships.
Ways in: 4-year college. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Political Science, Economics, Public Policy, Statistics.
Growing about average (about 2% over 10 years). Social science research assistants (approx.).
High risk for 10 years. AI already gathers data, builds charts and fact-checks quickly; far fewer research assistants are needed per scholar.
Classes: AP Statistics, AP English Language, AP Government.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-4061.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.