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How much do applied social science jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for applied social science in the United States is $50,609.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $46,500.00 and $53,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What types of projects or problems do applied social science professionals typically work on?

Professionals in Applied Social Science often work on projects that address real-world issues such as improving workplace culture, evaluating the effectiveness of social programs, or conducting community needs assessments. Their daily responsibilities may include designing and implementing surveys, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data, and preparing reports or recommendations for clients or organizations. Collaboration is common, as these roles frequently involve working with multidisciplinary teams, stakeholders, and sometimes members of the public. This variety of work allows for substantial impact on policy decisions and organizational strategies, making the role both dynamic and rewarding.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in applied social science, and why are they important?

To thrive in an Applied Social Science role, you need a background in social science research methods, data analysis, and a relevant degree such as sociology, psychology, or anthropology. Familiarity with statistical software like SPSS, Qualtrics, or NVivo, and sometimes professional research certifications, is often required. Strong analytical thinking, effective communication, and teamwork are essential soft skills that enhance performance in this field. These abilities are crucial for delivering actionable insights, informing policy or program development, and collaborating with diverse stakeholders.

What is an applied social science?

An Applied Social Science job involves using principles from disciplines like sociology, psychology, and economics to address real-world problems. Professionals in this field work in areas such as social research, policy analysis, community development, and human services. Their goal is to apply theoretical knowledge to create practical solutions that improve individual and societal well-being. Jobs may be found in government agencies, nonprofits, education, healthcare, or corporate settings where social insight is valuable.

What is an applied social science degree?

An applied social science degree focuses on using social science theories and methods to address real-world issues, often involving research, analysis, and practical problem-solving. Graduates can work in fields such as community development, public policy, or social services, and may need skills in data analysis, communication, and critical thinking.
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Applied Social Science jobs near you
Infographic showing various Applied Social Science job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% Internship, 1% As Needed, 73% Full Time, 21% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 93% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $50,609 per year, or $24.3 per hour.

Computational Social Scientist

Protagonist

Baltimore, MD

Full-time

Posted 24 days ago

Job description

Join Our Talented Team at Protagonist

We fuse rigorous, methodologically sound analysis with our cutting-edge technology platform, Narrative Analytics®. This powerful combination enables us to quantitatively analyze open-source media, deliver strategic recommendations, and craft executive-level communication strategies for clients with missions that matter.

Why Us?

Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts with extensive experience across U.S. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. By joining Protagonist, you'll immerse yourself in a collaborative environment where innovation thrives, and your contributions truly matter.

What We Do
  • Innovative Solutions: We co-develop cutting-edge solutions with our clients to address tough communication problems and capitalize on opportunities to make a tangible impact.
  • Data-Driven Insights: Our tools and methodologies provide actionable insights that help clients meet their communication objectives and stay ahead of global challenges.
  • Applied Expertise: We integrate our solutions within client organizations, leveraging our profound expertise to address critical issues and ensure sustainable success.
Be Part of Something Bigger

At Protagonist, you'll work on compelling projects that make a real difference. We seek talented individuals eager to contribute to our mission and grow alongside us. If you're passionate about communication, data analysis, and making an impact, we invite you to explore a career with Protagonist.

Explore Your Future with Us!

Ready to take the next step in your career? Join us at Protagonist and be part of a team that's making a difference.

Washington, DC | Full-Time | Hybrid

Job Description

In this role, you'll apply data science and analytic methods directly to projects, turning large, often unstructured datasets into findings that teams and clients can act on. Our work lives at the intersection of data science and social science: we pair computational techniques with an understanding of the social, political, and information dynamics behind the data. This is a multi-faceted role. You'll support our internal data efforts, stay hands-on with analysis and client delivery, and work with the product team to help improve Narrative Analytics®, the platform our analysts use every day. Whether your background is in social science research, product and analytics, or a more technical track, what matters most is that you can take messy, real-world data and make it useful for our team and our end customers.

Responsibilities
  • Contribute to our data efforts
    • Support internal data science work: apply sound methods, keep quality high, and keep analysis reproducible and defensible.
    • Build and apply classification models, clustering, and other ML/AI approaches to surface insight from large, unstructured datasets.
    • Help translate qualitative research questions into structured analytical workflows.
  • Build AI-powered analytical workflows
    • Design prompts, LLM chains, and agentic workflows that automate classification, thematic coding, entity extraction, and summarization at scale.
    • Build and evaluate repeatable analytical products with real quality controls and human-in-the-loop checks.
    • Experiment with emerging techniques (RAG, multi-step reasoning, tool-using agents) to extend what we can deliver.
  • Make data usable and clear
    • Handle complex cleaning, transformation, and wrangling so the data stays trustworthy.
    • Build dashboards and visualizations (Tableau, Superset, or similar) that make insight clear to clients and colleagues alike.
    • Turn findings into actionable recommendations and present them directly to both the internal team and customers with clarity and confidence.
  • Support the product and work across teams
    • Work hand in hand with the product team to shape Narrative Analytics™ around what users actually need, bringing the analyst's and client's perspective into product design.
    • Collaborate across analytics, product, and client teams so the work fits together and reaches the people who depend on it.
Requirements
  • Must be eligible to work on US Government contracts
  • A BS degree in a quantitative or analytical field (data science, computer science, statistics, computational social science, political science, economics, communications, or a related discipline), or equivalent hands-on experience.
  • 2+ years of relevant experience with a bachelor's or BS degree with relevant internship experience and a proven track record of leveraging analytics to drive significant business impact, or a 1+ years of relevant experience with a master's degree with strong, practical data analytics project experience or relevant internships.
  • Hands-on experience working with text-as-data: media, social media, or open-source text corpora.
  • Working proficiency in Python and/or R, plus solid SQL for pulling, transforming, and validating data.
  • Familiarity with core NLP and ML methods (text classification, topic modeling, sentiment and stance detection, embeddings, transformers) and with applying LLMs in real workflows (prompt engineering, structured outputs, integration).
  • The ability to explain technical work to non-technical audiences and to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative team.
Ideal Candidates
  • Existing security clearance (SECRET or higher) a plus
  • Experience designing structured content analysis or analytical frameworks for text data.
  • Experience in information environment assessment, strategic communication analysis, or media landscape monitoring.
  • Experience shaping analytical tools or platforms around real user needs.
  • Experience with computational social science methods (network analysis, narrative framing, document similarity) that go beyond keyword search.
  • Experience translating social science research questions into scalable computational approaches.
Additional Information

If you're passionate about technology and making an impact, apply today! Protagonist is dedicated to fostering a welcoming and innovative environment where everyone's voice can make a difference.

Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary Range: $70,000-$102,000 based on education and level of relevant experience.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.