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The market research salary and compensation survey was conducted online from June 5 to June 23, 2017 among Quirk’s subscribers. In total we received 2,637 responses. We received 858 usable surveys from client-side researchers (corporate market research) and 1,422 usable surveys from provider-side researchers (market research company employees). An interval (margin of error) of 1.9 at the 95 percent confidence level was achieved. (Not all respondents answered all questions.)
For a complete survey results follow the link below:
Market research salaries by job title
Market research manager salary by:
| Industry | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| Advertising/Public Relations | 4 | $61,750 | $0 | $250 | $250 | $62,250 | |||||||
| Agriculture | 1 | $121,000 | $25,000 | $15,000 | $0 | $161,000 | |||||||
| Automotive | 1 | $102,000 | $4,000 | $0 | $0 | $106,000 | |||||||
| Banking/Financial | 21 | $108,143 | $14,810 | $9,905 | $476 | $133,333 | |||||||
| Building Materials/Products | 3 | $101,667 | $8,333 | $3,333 | $0 | $113,333 | |||||||
| Computer Hardware/Software | 3 | $125,667 | $13,333 | $6,667 | $1,000 | $146,667 | |||||||
| Construction/Housing | 2 | $66,500 | $2,500 | $4,000 | $0 | $73,000 | |||||||
| Consulting | 2 | $111,500 | $10,500 | $0 | $75,000 | $197,000 | |||||||
| Consumer Goods | 29 | $125,241 | $14,586 | $5,103 | $759 | $145,690 | |||||||
| Education | 5 | $89,400 | $5,600 | $0 | $0 | $95,000 | |||||||
| Entertainment | 4 | $101,000 | $18,500 | $10,250 | $1,500 | $131,250 | |||||||
| Food/Beverage | 16 | $104,250 | $16,750 | $2,938 | $250 | $124,188 | |||||||
| Government | |||||||||||||
| Health Care/Pharmaceuticals | 40 | $112,450 | $10,650 | $5,100 | $300 | $128,500 | |||||||
| Hospitality (hotels, etc.) | |||||||||||||
| Insurance | 11 | $108,818 | $12,636 | $0 | $182 | $121,636 | |||||||
| Manufacturing | 19 | $122,158 | $9,737 | $2,579 | $6,789 | $141,263 | |||||||
| Media/Publishing/Information | 11 | $81,818 | $3,818 | $909 | $1,727 | $88,273 | |||||||
| Non-Profits | 7 | $80,000 | $4,286 | $0 | $2,143 | $86,429 | |||||||
| Retail | 9 | $96,333 | $8,667 | $667 | $111 | $105,778 | |||||||
| Technology/IT/Web | 20 | $144,600 | $16,000 | $26,350 | $2,450 | $189,400 | |||||||
| Telecommunications | 6 | $95,667 | $9,667 | $1,333 | $3,167 | $109,833 | |||||||
| Transportation | 1 | $65,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $65,000 | |||||||
| Travel | 2 | $77,500 | $5,000 | $4,000 | $1,500 | $88,000 | |||||||
| Utilities/Energy | 6 | $101,667 | $11,000 | $1,000 | $167 | $113,833 | |||||||
| Other | 8 | $109,250 | $7,125 | $1,875 | $13,125 | $131,375 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Region in which located | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 13 | $126,538 | $11,615 | $3,077 | $538 | $141,769 | |||||||
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 29 | $119,345 | $12,103 | $1,897 | $1,207 | $134,552 | |||||||
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 33 | $109,121 | $11,818 | $6,545 | $3,515 | $131,000 | |||||||
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 28 | $108,036 | $11,036 | $3,464 | $214 | $122,750 | |||||||
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 38 | $104,632 | $9,737 | $8,105 | $4,026 | $126,500 | |||||||
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 6 | $125,333 | $15,500 | $0 | $0 | $140,833 | |||||||
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 11 | $100,182 | $7,545 | $273 | $909 | $108,909 | |||||||
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 14 | $106,643 | $8,500 | $3,000 | $500 | $118,643 | |||||||
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 40 | $128,350 | $15,350 | $12,675 | $4,525 | $160,900 | |||||||
| Canada | 6 | $76,833 | $9,000 | $1,333 | $1,000 | $88,167 | |||||||
| Mexico | |||||||||||||
| Central and South America | 1 | $76,000 | $6,000 | $0 | $0 | $82,000 | |||||||
| Eastern Europe | 4 | $22,000 | $2,500 | $0 | $4,500 | $29,000 | |||||||
| Western Europe | 4 | $87,750 | $15,750 | $13,750 | $2,750 | $120,000 | |||||||
| Asia | 1 | $28,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $28,000 | |||||||
| Middle East | 1 | $82,000 | $12,000 | $0 | $0 | $94,000 | |||||||
| Africa | |||||||||||||
| Australia/New Zealand | 2 | $84,000 | $5,000 | $0 | $500 | $89,500 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| < $1 Million US dollars | 3 | $88,667 | $5,333 | $2,667 | $0 | $96,667 | |||||||
| $1M - $3M | 2 | $115,000 | $3,500 | $500 | $0 | $119,000 | |||||||
| $3M - $6M | 4 | $86,500 | $4,000 | $2,250 | $0 | $92,750 | |||||||
| $6M - $10M | 2 | $115,000 | $12,500 | $4,000 | $0 | $131,500 | |||||||
| $10M - $50M | 16 | $97,563 | $11,000 | $750 | $1,125 | $110,438 | |||||||
| $50M - $100M | 9 | $83,111 | $6,444 | $0 | $444 | $90,000 | |||||||
| $100M - $300M | 21 | $85,571 | $6,286 | $5,333 | $286 | $97,476 | |||||||
| $300M - $500M | 15 | $119,867 | $8,667 | $1,133 | $11,133 | $140,800 | |||||||
| $500M - $1 Billion | 24 | $113,042 | $11,292 | $2,917 | $4,917 | $132,167 | |||||||
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 128 | $117,633 | $13,695 | $6,711 | $1,836 | $139,875 | |||||||
| Mean | 224 | $110,473 | $11,536 | $4,893 | $2,446 | $129,348 | |||||||
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| 0 | |||||||||||||
| 1 - 2 | 64 | $102,500 | $7,453 | $3,125 | $2,203 | $115,281 | |||||||
| 3 - 5 | 49 | $99,612 | $9,694 | $2,082 | $286 | $111,673 | |||||||
| 6 - 10 | 34 | $103,588 | $11,529 | $2,029 | $1,059 | $118,206 | |||||||
| 11 - 15 | 16 | $107,188 | $12,125 | $4,250 | $8,688 | $132,250 | |||||||
| 16 - 25 | 7 | $110,429 | $11,714 | $5,000 | $0 | $127,143 | |||||||
| >25 | 60 | $131,217 | $16,767 | $14,283 | $3,683 | $165,950 | |||||||
| Mean | 230 | $110,104 | $11,417 | $5,787 | $2,396 | $129,704 | |||||||
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| < 1 year | |||||||||||||
| 1 - 2 | |||||||||||||
| 3 - 5 | 14 | $107,214 | $7,000 | $3,500 | $714 | $118,429 | |||||||
| 6 - 10 | 46 | $94,587 | $9,717 | $6,957 | $522 | $111,783 | |||||||
| 11 - 15 | 53 | $112,943 | $13,962 | $6,057 | $3,925 | $136,887 | |||||||
| 16 - 25 | 75 | $113,800 | $11,480 | $4,840 | $3,733 | $133,853 | |||||||
| >25 | 43 | $117,907 | $11,372 | $6,465 | $674 | $136,419 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Years at current job | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| < 1 year | 40 | $114,100 | $9,825 | $3,225 | $650 | $127,800 | |||||||
| 1 - 2 | 48 | $108,979 | $12,229 | $10,271 | $6,604 | $138,083 | |||||||
| 3 - 5 | 65 | $115,169 | $12,277 | $3,369 | $538 | $131,354 | |||||||
| 6 - 10 | 42 | $100,881 | $12,000 | $8,810 | $3,286 | $124,976 | |||||||
| 11 - 15 | 20 | $108,900 | $11,000 | $3,400 | $1,200 | $124,500 | |||||||
| 16 - 25 | 13 | $109,077 | $8,615 | $3,308 | $846 | $121,846 | |||||||
| >25 | 2 | $117,000 | $8,000 | $4,500 | $0 | $129,500 | |||||||
| Mean | 230 | $110,209 | $11,435 | $5,787 | $2,396 | $129,826 | |||||||
| Number of employees supervised | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| 0 (None) | 124 | $108,774 | $11,242 | $5,581 | $2,355 | $127,952 | |||||||
| 1 - 2 | 82 | $110,049 | $10,524 | $5,061 | $2,476 | $128,110 | |||||||
| 3 - 5 | 20 | $125,450 | $17,850 | $11,100 | $2,000 | $156,400 | |||||||
| 6 - 10 | 4 | $85,000 | $2,250 | $500 | $4,000 | $91,750 | |||||||
| > 10 | 1 | $82,000 | $12,000 | $0 | $0 | $94,000 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Highest degree achieved | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| High-school graduate | 2 | $115,000 | $15,000 | $5,000 | $0 | $135,000 | |||||||
| College graduate | 72 | $102,625 | $10,542 | $6,764 | $2,306 | $122,236 | |||||||
| Masters program graduate | 150 | $112,713 | $11,920 | $5,480 | $2,400 | $132,513 | |||||||
| Ph.D. graduate | 7 | $131,000 | $8,286 | $1,714 | $3,571 | $144,571 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Gender | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| Male | 91 | $110,637 | $12,681 | $4,945 | $890 | $129,154 | |||||||
| Female | 140 | $109,821 | $10,579 | $6,293 | $3,357 | $130,050 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
| Age | |||||||||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||||||||
| < 25 | |||||||||||||
| 25 - 30 | 10 | $86,900 | $9,300 | $5,200 | $500 | $101,900 | |||||||
| 31 - 35 | 37 | $99,378 | $10,541 | $4,865 | $5,135 | $119,919 | |||||||
| 36 - 45 | 78 | $111,564 | $13,551 | $9,231 | $2,244 | $136,590 | |||||||
| 46 - 55 | 76 | $115,355 | $9,276 | $2,303 | $2,158 | $129,092 | |||||||
| 56 - 65 | 28 | $111,714 | $12,357 | $6,857 | $607 | $131,536 | |||||||
| 66+ | 2 | $150,000 | $22,000 | $6,000 | $0 | $178,000 | |||||||
| Mean | 231 | $110,143 | $11,407 | $5,762 | $2,385 | $129,697 | |||||||
*Bonus was defined as bonus or commission for 2016 in US dollars.
*Dividends were defined as compensation in the form of dividends, stock options or profit sharing in US dollars for 2016.
*Other was defined as annual value of other compensation (company car, health club membership, mobile phone etc.) in US dollars.