Market research analysts and marketing specialists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,390 | $20.86 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $78,760 | $37.87 |
| Mean (average) | $89,490 | $43.03 |
| 90th percentile | $155,480 | $74.75 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Market research analysts and marketing specialists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 54 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $59,530 | $36,100 | $114,010 | 8,390 | 0.69 |
| Alaska | $66,710 | $44,320 | $99,990 | 570 | 0.31 |
| Arizona | $71,940 | $41,110 | $136,430 | 15,850 | 0.85 |
| Arkansas | $65,430 | $34,560 | $136,310 | 6,250 | 0.83 |
| California | $94,700 | $48,440 | $181,600 | 119,070 | 1.13 |
| Colorado | $93,050 | $48,900 | $165,190 | 27,880 | 1.68 |
| Connecticut | $77,740 | $46,280 | $138,980 | 9,930 | 1.01 |
| Delaware | $101,270 | $51,480 | $165,840 | 3,570 | 1.27 |
| District of Columbia | $98,090 | $59,340 | $176,240 | 6,340 | 1.56 |
| Florida | $75,450 | $38,830 | $130,570 | 60,770 | 1.06 |
| Georgia | $75,850 | $37,700 | $148,910 | 27,810 | 0.98 |
| Guam | $42,240 | $31,290 | $81,890 | 80 | 0.2 |
| Hawaii | $59,390 | $29,120 | $104,610 | 1,610 | 0.44 |
| Idaho | $60,970 | $36,800 | $127,660 | 3,780 | 0.76 |
| Illinois | $79,120 | $46,970 | $139,110 | 40,560 | 1.15 |
| Indiana | $63,700 | $39,740 | $117,640 | 14,400 | 0.78 |
| Iowa | $66,390 | $40,160 | $122,120 | 8,880 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | $70,430 | $38,540 | $128,650 | 8,090 | 0.97 |
| Kentucky | $61,480 | $37,970 | $103,300 | 6,290 | 0.54 |
| Louisiana | $59,690 | $32,130 | $111,550 | 5,360 | 0.48 |
| Maine | $71,980 | $43,310 | $127,200 | 2,390 | 0.64 |
| Maryland | $76,370 | $41,600 | $145,600 | 13,570 | 0.85 |
| Massachusetts | $101,810 | $58,090 | $166,970 | 39,710 | 1.89 |
| Michigan | $66,780 | $40,930 | $127,190 | 24,220 | 0.95 |
| Minnesota | $87,510 | $50,400 | $143,180 | 21,280 | 1.25 |
| Mississippi | $56,640 | $30,780 | $95,240 | 2,620 | 0.39 |
| Missouri | $70,140 | $37,970 | $129,140 | 14,890 | 0.88 |
| Montana | $68,080 | $40,450 | $105,320 | 1,460 | 0.49 |
| Nebraska | $60,000 | $37,080 | $99,990 | 3,780 | 0.64 |
| Nevada | $71,840 | $37,020 | $123,130 | 5,780 | 0.64 |
| New Hampshire | $64,570 | $46,660 | $136,640 | 4,200 | 1.06 |
| New Jersey | $88,190 | $49,900 | $145,010 | 22,990 | 0.93 |
| New Mexico | $61,950 | $41,600 | $98,060 | 1,610 | 0.32 |
| New York | $98,580 | $56,070 | $165,920 | 80,500 | 1.44 |
| North Carolina | $78,410 | $43,780 | $155,670 | 30,700 | 1.07 |
| North Dakota | $61,580 | $39,480 | $102,950 | 1,550 | 0.62 |
| Ohio | $72,790 | $39,860 | $129,270 | 27,370 | 0.85 |
| Oklahoma | $61,940 | $33,890 | $114,010 | 6,620 | 0.67 |
| Oregon | $79,150 | $48,060 | $151,800 | 11,310 | 0.99 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,760 | $34,160 | $128,810 | 31,040 | 0.88 |
| Puerto Rico | $39,330 | $24,550 | $76,230 | 2,420 | 0.45 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $49,020 | $129,540 | 3,210 | 1.11 |
| South Carolina | $69,440 | $39,950 | $153,090 | 11,920 | 0.89 |
| South Dakota | $63,490 | $47,000 | $124,380 | 1,530 | 0.58 |
| Tennessee | $69,790 | $39,480 | $134,740 | 13,040 | 0.69 |
| Texas | $72,520 | $37,640 | $135,710 | 63,350 | 0.78 |
| Utah | $62,630 | $38,380 | $120,410 | 14,510 | 1.44 |
| Vermont | $74,880 | $50,700 | $110,230 | 860 | 0.49 |
| Virgin Islands | $59,990 | $33,490 | $79,990 | 90 | 0.48 |
| Virginia | $76,980 | $40,100 | $153,300 | 25,610 | 1.08 |
| Washington | $95,120 | $52,000 | $174,040 | 24,460 | 1.19 |
| West Virginia | $52,340 | $34,160 | $93,430 | 1,650 | 0.41 |
| Wisconsin | $64,800 | $42,640 | $117,910 | 15,600 | 0.92 |
| Wyoming | $60,990 | $34,360 | $112,150 | 850 | 0.52 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 82,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 3.8%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for market research analysts and marketing specialists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management CIP 19.0203
- Apparel and Textile Marketing Management CIP 19.0905
- Business Analytics CIP 30.7102
- Applied Economics CIP 45.0602
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General CIP 52.1401
- Marketing Research CIP 52.1402
- International Marketing CIP 52.1403
- Digital Marketing CIP 52.1404
- Marketing, Other CIP 52.1499
- Apparel and Accessories Marketing Operations CIP 52.1904
- Tourism and Travel Services Marketing Operations CIP 52.1905
- Tourism Promotion Operations CIP 52.1906
- Vehicle and Vehicle Parts and Accessories Marketing Operations CIP 52.1907
- Business and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations CIP 52.1908
- Special Products Marketing Operations CIP 52.1909
- Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations CIP 52.1910
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
- Seek and provide information to help companies determine their position in the marketplace.
- Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
- Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
- Devise and evaluate methods and procedures for collecting data, such as surveys, opinion polls, or questionnaires, or arrange to obtain existing data.
- Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of marketing and distribution.
- Measure and assess customer and employee satisfaction.
- Monitor industry statistics and follow trends in trade literature.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Canva (in demand)
- Google Analytics (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Salesforce software (in demand)
- TikTok (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Amazon Redshift (hot technology)
- Apache Hadoop (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Systems Evaluation, Coordination.
Common job titles: Business Development Specialist, Communications Consultant, Communications Specialist, Content Strategist, Market Analyst, Market Research Analyst, Market Research Consultant, Market Research Specialist, Market Researcher, Marketing Research Coordinator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do market research analysts and marketing specialists make?
The national median annual wage for market research analysts and marketing specialists was $78,760 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $43,390 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $155,480. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do market research analysts and marketing specialists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is market research analysts and marketing specialists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of market research analysts and marketing specialists to change +7.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 82,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay market research analysts and marketing specialists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Massachusetts ($101,810), Delaware ($101,270), New York ($98,580). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.