Research Assistant Average Salary in New Zealand 2024
How much money does a person working as Research Assistant make in New Zealand?
LOW
31,100
NZD AVERAGE
62,200
NZD HIGH
96,400
NZD
A person working as Research Assistant in New Zealand typically earns around 62,200 NZD. Salaries range from 31,100 NZD (lowest) to 96,400 NZD (highest).
Salary Variance
This is the average salary including housing, transport, and other benefits. Research Assistant salaries in New Zealand vary drastically based on experience, skills, gender, or location. Below you will find a detailed breakdown based on many different criteria.
Research Assistant Pay Scale and Salaries in New Zealand
Salary Structure and Pay Scale Comparison
57,200 NZD or more
50,700 to 57,200 NZD
36,300 NZD or less
36,300 to 50,700 NZD
 31,100 NZD |
57,500 NZD |
96,400 NZD |
Median Salary, maximum and minimum salary, minimum wage, starting salary, and the salary range
Salary Range, Minimum Wage, and Starting Salary
Salaries for the position Research Assistant in New Zealand range from 31,100 NZD (starting salary) to 96,400 NZD (maximum salary). It should be noted that the given figure is not the legally mandated minimum wage; rather, it represents the lowest figure reported in a salary survey that included thousands of participants and professionals from all regions of the country.
Median Salary
With a median salary of 57,500 NZD, half of the professionals who work as Research Assistant in New Zealand earn less than this amount, and the other half earn more. The median salary denotes the middle value of salaries. Ideally, you would want to belong to the group earning more than the median salary, located on the right side of the salary distribution graph.
Percentiles and Salary Scale
The median is closely associated with two other values known as the 25th and 75th percentiles. By examining the salary distribution chart, it can be determined that 25% of professionals employed as Research Assistant in New Zealand earn less than 47,300 NZD, while 75% earn more. Similarly, the chart shows that 75% earn less than 65,600 NZD while 25% earn more.
Pay Scale Structure
To provide a better understanding of expected salaries, we categorized the frequently occurring salaries into different ranges. This approach provides a more precise representation of salary distribution for the job title Research Assistant in New Zealand compared to simply calculating the average. The majority of reported salaries, approximately 65%, fall within the range of 36,300 NZD to 50,700 NZD. About 20% of salaries are below the 36,300 NZD mark, while 10% fall within the range of 50,700 NZD to 57,200 NZD. Only 5% of individuals have salaries exceeding 57,200 NZD.
Salary Comparison by Years of Experience / Research Assistant / New Zealand
How do experience and age affect pay?
| 0 - 2 Years | 37,300 NZD | |
| 2 - 5 Years | +32% | 49,400 NZD |
| 5 - 10 Years | +34% | 66,000 NZD |
| 10 - 15 Years | +19% | 78,800 NZD |
| 15 - 20 Years | +8% | 85,000 NZD |
| 20+ Years | +7% | 91,200 NZD |
The experience level is the most important factor in determining the salary. Naturally, the more years of experience the higher the wage. We broke down salaries by experience level for people working as Research Assistant and this is what we found.
Employees with less than two years of experience earn approximately 37,300 NZD.
While someone with an experience level between two and five years is expected to earn 49,400 NZD, 32% more than someone with less than two year's experience.
Moving forward, an experience level between five and ten years lands a salary of 66,000 NZD, 34% more than someone with two to five years of experience.
Additionally, professionals whose expertise span anywhere between ten and fifteen years get a salary equivalent to 78,800 NZD, 19% more than someone with five to ten years of experience.
If the experience level is between fifteen and twenty years, then the expected wage is 85,000 NZD, 8% more than someone with ten to fifteen years of experience.
Lastly, employees with more than twenty years of professional experience get a salary of 91,200 NZD, 7% more than people with fifteen to twenty years of experience.
Typical Salary Progress for Most Careers
Salary Comparison By Education / Research Assistant / New Zealand
How do education levels affect salaries?
Displayed below is the average salary variance between different education levels of professionals working as Research Assistant.
| High School | 46,800 NZD | |
| Certificate or Diploma | +14% | 53,300 NZD |
| Bachelor's Degree | +36% | 72,300 NZD |
| Master's Degree | +26% | 91,200 NZD |
We all know that higher education equals a bigger salary, but how much more money can a degree add to your income? We broke down salaries by education level for the position Research Assistant in order to make a comparison.
Level 1: High School
Employees at this education level have an average salary of 46,800 NZD.
Level 2: Certificate or Diploma
At this level, the average salary becomes 53,300 NZD, 14% more than the previous level.
Level 3: Bachelor's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 72,300 NZD, 36% more than the previous level.
Level 4: Master's Degree
At this level, the average salary becomes 91,200 NZD, 26% more than the previous level.
Is a Master's degree or an MBA worth it? Should you pursue higher education?
A Master's degree program or any post-graduate program in New Zealand costs anywhere from 40,700 NZD to 122,000 NZD and lasts approximately two years. That is quite an investment.
You can't really expect any salary increases during the study period, assuming you already have a job. In most cases, a salary review is conducted once education is completed and the degree has been attained.
Many people pursue higher education as a tactic to switch to a higher-paying job. The numbers seem to support the theory. The average increase in compensation while changing jobs is approximately 10% more than the customary salary increment.
If you can afford the costs of higher education, the return on investment is definitely worth it. You should be able to recover the costs in roughly a year or so.
Typical Salary Difference by Education for Most Careers
Salary and Compensation Comparison By Gender / Research Assistant / New Zealand
Though gender should not have an effect on pay, in reality, it does. So who gets paid more: men or women? For the people who work as Research Assistant in New Zealand, the average difference between the salary of male and female employees is 4%.
| Male | 63,500 NZD | |
| Female | -4% | 60,900 NZD |
Salary Comparison By Gender in New Zealand for all Careers
Average Annual Salary Increment Percentage / Research Assistant / New Zealand
How much are annual salary increments in New Zealand for individuals working as Research Assistant? How often do employees get salary raises?
Individuals working as Research Assistant in New Zealand are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 12% every 14 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 8% granted to employees every 16 months.
New Zealand / All Professions
The term Annual Salary Increase usually refers to the increase in 12 calendar month period, but because it is rare that people get their salaries reviewed exactly on the one-year mark, it is more meaningful to know the frequency and the rate at the time of the increase.
How to calculate the salary increment percentage?
The annual salary Increase in a calendar year (12 months) can be easily calculated as follows: Annual Salary Increase = Increase Rate x 12 / Increase Frequency
Worldwide Salary Raises: All Countries and All Jobs
Salary Packages and Schemes
Not all compensation increases are reflected directly in the salary. Some companies offer upgraded packages to their staff instead of cash money. The figures displayed here account only for direct increments to the base salary.
Bonus and Incentive Rates / Research Assistant / New Zealand
How much and how often are bonuses being awarded?
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45% of surveyed staff reported that they haven't received any bonuses or incentives in the previous year while 55% said that they received at least one form of monetary bonus.
Those who got bonuses reported rates ranging from 3% to 6% of their annual salary.
| Received Bonus | 55% | |
| No Bonus | 45% |
Types of Bonuses Considered
Individual Performance-Based BonusesThe most standard form of bonus, where the employee is awarded based on their exceptional performance.
Company Performance BonusesOccasionally, some companies like to celebrate excess earnings and profits with their staff collectively in the form of bonuses that are granted to everyone. The amount of the bonus will probably be different from person to person depending on their role within the organization.
Goal-Based BonusesGranted upon achieving an important goal or milestone.
Holiday / End of Year BonusesThese types of bonuses are given without a reason and usually resemble an appreciation token.
Bonuses Are Not Commissions!
People tend to confuse bonuses with commissions. A commission is a prefixed rate at which someone gets paid for items sold or deals completed while a bonus is in most cases arbitrary and unplanned.
What makes a position worthy of good bonuses and a high salary?
The main two types of jobs | |
| Revenue Generators | Supporting Cast |
Employees that are directly involved in generating revenue or profit for the organization. Their field of expertise usually matches the type of business. | Employees that support and facilitate the work of revenue generators. Their expertise is usually different from that of the core business operations. |
Example: | Example: |
Revenue generators usually get more and higher bonuses, higher salaries, and more frequent salary increments. The reason is quite simple: it is easier to quantify your value to the company in monetary terms when you participate in revenue generation.
Bonus Comparison by Seniority Level
Top management personnel and senior employees naturally exhibit higher bonus rates and frequencies than juniors. This is very predictable due to the inherent responsibilities of being higher in the hierarchy. People in top positions can easily get double or triple bonus rates than employees down the pyramid.
Average Hourly Wage / Research Assistant / New Zealand
30 NZD per hourThe average hourly wage (pay per hour) for individuals working as Research Assistant in New Zealand is 30 NZD.This is the rate they get paid for every worked hour.
About The Hourly Pay Rate
The hourly wage is the salary paid in one worked hour. Usually, jobs are classified into two categories: salaried jobs and hourly jobs. Salaried jobs pay a fixed amount regardless of the hours worked. Hourly jobs pay per worked hour. To convert salary into hourly wage the above formula is used (assuming 5 working days in a week and 8 working hours per day which is the standard for most jobs). The hourly wage calculation may differ slightly depending on the worked hours per week and the annual vacation allowance. The figures mentioned above are good approximations and are considered to be the standard. One major difference between salaried employees and hourly paid employees is overtime eligibility. Salaried employees are usually exempt from overtime as opposed to hourly paid staff.
What is the minimum hourly rate of pay?
The minimum pay rate per hour for people working as Research Assistant in New Zealand is 15 NZD. This is the minimum as per the gathered data in the salary survey not the minimum hourly rate mandated by law.
Salary comparison with similar jobs
| Job Title | Average Salary |
| Business Planning |  -100% | |
| Agile Coach | 110,000 NZD |  +77% |
| Assistant Business Development Manager | 131,000 NZD | +110% |
| Assistant Merchandise Planner | 72,600 NZD | +17% |
| Business Advisor | 121,000 NZD | +95% |
| Business Analyst | 114,000 NZD | +83% |
| Business Consultant | 118,000 NZD | +90% |
| Business Continuity Associate | 73,400 NZD | +18% |
| Business Developer | 73,600 NZD | +18% |
| Business Development Analyst | 86,800 NZD | +40% |
| Business Development Associate | 62,200 NZD | -0% |
| Business Development Coordinator | 65,900 NZD | +6% |
| Business Development Director | 161,000 NZD | +160% |
| Business Development Engineer | 95,000 NZD | +53% |
| Business Development Executive | 119,000 NZD | +91% |
| Business Development Manager | 158,000 NZD | +150% |
| Business Development Specialist | 117,000 NZD | +88% |
| Business Manager | 137,000 NZD | +120% |
| Business Operations Specialist | 118,000 NZD | +90% |
| Business Process Writer | 66,700 NZD | +7% |
| Business Systems Analyst | 118,000 NZD | +90% |
| Capacity Planner | 85,200 NZD | +37% |
| Capacity Planning Supervisor | 109,000 NZD | +75% |
| Change Communications Analyst | 114,000 NZD | +83% |
| Change Control Analyst | 112,000 NZD | +80% |
| Change Impact Analyst | 108,000 NZD | +74% |
| Chief Automation Officer | 150,000 NZD | +140% |
| Chief Innovation Officer | 159,000 NZD | +160% |
| Contracts Executive | 111,000 NZD | +78% |
| Corporate Strategy Analyst | 115,000 NZD | +85% |
| Cost Control Engineer | 78,600 NZD | +26% |
| Cost Controller | 85,100 NZD | +37% |
| Cost Estimator | 79,700 NZD | +28% |
| Crisis Management Specialist | 126,000 NZD | +100% |
| Data Executive | 61,000 NZD | -2% |
| Data Manager | 88,900 NZD | +43% |
| Data Processing Manager | 107,000 NZD | +72% |
| Development Researcher | 85,500 NZD | +37% |
| Digital Strategist | 114,000 NZD | +83% |
| Digital Transformation Manager | 121,000 NZD | +95% |
| Director of Business Development | 170,000 NZD | +170% |
| Director of Production Planning | 145,000 NZD | +130% |
| Drop Shipping Consultant | 97,600 NZD | +57% |
| Due Diligence Analyst | 127,000 NZD | +100% |
| Estimating Manager | 132,000 NZD | +110% |
| General Manager | 140,000 NZD | +130% |
| Growth Hacker | 94,600 NZD | +52% |
| Impact Assessment Specialist | 102,000 NZD | +64% |
| Impact Investing Analyst | 108,000 NZD | +74% |
| Incident Handler | 82,900 NZD | +33% |
| Incident Specialist | 97,300 NZD | +56% |
| Lean Consultant | 86,200 NZD | +39% |
| Manager | 150,000 NZD | +140% |
| Marketing and Business Development Manager | 144,000 NZD | +130% |
| Materials Planner | 51,100 NZD | -18% |
| Merchandise Assistant | 49,100 NZD | -21% |
| Merchandise Controller | 51,900 NZD | -17% |
| Merchandise Planner | 53,900 NZD | -13% |
| Online Consultant | 101,000 NZD | +62% |
| Online Reputation Manager | 87,800 NZD | +41% |
| Operations Analyst | 108,000 NZD | +74% |
| Operations Manager | 126,000 NZD | +100% |
| Operations Research Analyst | 73,100 NZD | +18% |
| Planning and Reporting Manager | 133,000 NZD | +110% |
| Planning Director | 154,000 NZD | +150% |
| Product Designer | 86,000 NZD | +38% |
| Product Manager | 95,800 NZD | +54% |
| Project Administrator | 74,000 NZD | +19% |
| Project Manager | 116,000 NZD | +86% |
| Project Planner | 75,300 NZD | +21% |
| Research Assistant | 62,200 NZD | -0% |
| Research Engineer | 71,100 NZD | +14% |
| Research Officer | 61,700 NZD | -1% |
| Risk Management Specialist | 116,000 NZD | +86% |
| Scholarship Coordinator | 61,400 NZD | -1% |
| Store Planner | 59,300 NZD | -5% |
| Strategy Director | 164,000 NZD | +160% |
| Top Research and Development Executive | 169,000 NZD | +170% |
Government vs Private Sector Salary Comparison
Where can you get paid more, working in a private company or the government? The difference between the public or government sector salaries and the private sector salaries in New Zealand is 5% on average across all career fields.
| Private Sector | 94,900 NZD | |
| Public Sector | +5% | 99,900 NZD |
Salary Statistics and Calculation Guide
What is considered to be a good and competitive salary for the job title Research Assistant in New Zealand?
A good and competitive compensation would range anywhere between 57,500 NZD and 65,600 NZD. This is a very rough estimate. Experience and education play a very huge part in the final earnings.
Gross Salary (before tax) and Net Salary (after tax)
All salary and compensation figures displayed here are gross salary figures, that is the salary before tax deductions. Because taxes may differ across sectors and locations, it is difficult to accurately calculate the net salary after tax for every career.
Base / Basic Salary
The base salary for a careers like Research Assistant in New Zealand ranges from 31,100 NZD to 47,300 NZD. The base salary depends on many factors including experience and education. It is not easy to provide a figure with very little information, so take this range with a grain of salt.
What is the difference between the median and the average salary?
Both are indicators. If your salary is higher than both the average and the median then you are doing very well. If your salary is lower than both, then many people earn more than you and there is plenty of room for improvement. If your wage is between the average and the median, then things can be a bit complicated. We wrote a guide to explain all about the different scenarios. How to compare your salary
