The market research salary and compensation survey is based on data gathered from an invite-only online survey sent to pre-qualified marketing research subscribers of Quirk’s and members of ESOMAR.
The survey was fielded from June 6 to June 28, 2018. In total there were 3,483 respondents. We received 966 usable surveys from client-side researchers (corporate market research) and 1,708 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
Customer insights manager salary by:
| Industry | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Advertising/Public Relations | 3 | $33,333 | $667 | $333 | $13,667 | $48,000 |
| Agriculture | 2 | $82,500 | $4,000 | $0 | $500 | $87,000 |
| Automotive | 1 | $110,000 | $24,000 | $0 | $10,000 | $144,000 |
| Banking/Financial | 17 | $97,882 | $14,529 | $2,294 | $59 | $114,765 |
| Building Materials/Products | ||||||
| Computer Hardware/Software | ||||||
| Construction/Housing | ||||||
| Consulting | 2 | $106,000 | $2,500 | $0 | $0 | $108,500 |
| Consumer Goods | 15 | $111,867 | $10,533 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $124,400 |
| Education | 2 | $103,500 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $113,500 |
| Entertainment | 3 | $111,667 | $11,000 | $3,333 | $0 | $126,000 |
| Food/Beverage | 6 | $96,000 | $7,333 | $667 | $1,833 | $105,833 |
| Government | ||||||
| Health Care/Pharmaceuticals | 5 | $125,200 | $19,200 | $8,000 | $400 | $152,800 |
| Hospitality (hotels, etc.) | 4 | $90,250 | $8,750 | $0 | $250 | $99,250 |
| Insurance | 2 | $98,000 | $9,000 | $4,500 | $0 | $111,500 |
| Manufacturing | 9 | $101,000 | $11,111 | $5,889 | $14,222 | $132,222 |
| Media/Publishing/Information | 4 | $104,500 | $5,750 | $0 | $2,500 | $112,750 |
| Non-Profits | 5 | $93,200 | $2,800 | $0 | $200 | $96,200 |
| Retail | 8 | $106,875 | $10,625 | $2,750 | $4,625 | $124,875 |
| Technology/IT/Web | 4 | $80,750 | $33,250 | $43,000 | $750 | $157,750 |
| Telecommunications | 3 | $46,667 | $4,000 | $0 | $0 | $50,667 |
| Transportation | 2 | $107,500 | $12,500 | $0 | $500 | $120,500 |
| Travel | ||||||
| Utilities/Energy | 2 | $132,500 | $28,500 | $0 | $500 | $161,500 |
| Other | 2 | $120,000 | $18,500 | $5,500 | $4,000 | $148,000 |
| Mean | 101 | $99,614 | $11,644 | $3,723 | $2,683 | $117,663 |
| Region in which located | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 5 | $127,400 | $20,000 | $32,000 | $2,200 | $181,600 |
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 11 | $132,000 | $16,909 | $1,909 | $1,091 | $151,909 |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 14 | $100,786 | $10,357 | $3,714 | $9,500 | $124,357 |
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 12 | $103,417 | $8,667 | $2,750 | $3,583 | $118,417 |
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 11 | $93,364 | $15,727 | $2,909 | $1,909 | $113,909 |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 1 | $67,000 | $13,000 | $0 | $10,000 | $90,000 |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 5 | $99,600 | $15,600 | $0 | $200 | $115,400 |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 5 | $93,800 | $4,200 | $600 | $600 | $99,200 |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 13 | $117,462 | $10,692 | $2,077 | $0 | $130,231 |
| Canada | 4 | $79,250 | $13,750 | $3,500 | $500 | $97,000 |
| Mexico | ||||||
| Central and South America | 1 | $44,000 | $4,000 | $4,000 | $1,000 | $53,000 |
| Eastern Europe | 2 | $43,500 | $8,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $52,500 |
| Western Europe | 9 | $90,444 | $8,667 | $2,222 | $3,000 | $104,333 |
| Asia | 5 | $53,000 | $5,800 | $0 | $1,000 | $59,800 |
| Middle East | 1 | $100,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $125,000 |
| Africa | 2 | $52,500 | $10,000 | $0 | $0 | $62,500 |
| Australia/New Zealand | ||||||
| Mean | 101 | $99,614 | $11,644 | $3,723 | $2,683 | $117,663 |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < $1 Million US dollars | ||||||
| $1M - $3M | 2 | $47,000 | $8,000 | $0 | $0 | $55,000 |
| $3M - $6M | 1 | $48,000 | $2,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $51,000 |
| $6M - $10M | 1 | $35,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $40,000 | $76,000 |
| $10M - $50M | 6 | $87,833 | $4,000 | $333 | $500 | $92,667 |
| $50M - $100M | 9 | $95,000 | $7,778 | $2,889 | $222 | $105,889 |
| $100M - $300M | 3 | $84,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $0 | $90,000 |
| $300M - $500M | 4 | $106,500 | $14,250 | $2,500 | $250 | $123,500 |
| $500M - $1 Billion | 13 | $85,846 | $18,538 | $2,077 | $1,154 | $107,615 |
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 56 | $112,161 | $12,804 | $5,196 | $3,589 | $133,750 |
| Mean | 95 | $101,411 | $11,958 | $3,853 | $2,768 | $119,989 |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 | 1 | $77,000 | $16,000 | $0 | $0 | $93,000 |
| 1 - 2 | 27 | $88,667 | $7,296 | $1,000 | $852 | $97,815 |
| 3 - 5 | 22 | $83,591 | $10,727 | $1,773 | $3,227 | $99,318 |
| 6 - 10 | 12 | $100,333 | $18,583 | $5,417 | $2,250 | $126,583 |
| 11 - 15 | 9 | $120,000 | $18,111 | $1,333 | $12,889 | $152,333 |
| 16 - 25 | 4 | $109,000 | $11,000 | $3,000 | $500 | $123,500 |
| >25 | 23 | $124,304 | $12,435 | $9,609 | $1,304 | $147,652 |
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 2 | $91,000 | $14,000 | $0 | $5,000 | $110,000 |
| 1 - 2 | 3 | $70,333 | $4,333 | $333 | $13,333 | $88,333 |
| 3 - 5 | 6 | $68,500 | $2,500 | $333 | $333 | $71,667 |
| 6 - 10 | 26 | $88,077 | $8,923 | $1,923 | $5,577 | $104,500 |
| 11 - 15 | 23 | $107,783 | $15,826 | $9,565 | $304 | $133,478 |
| 16 - 25 | 22 | $106,364 | $10,591 | $1,909 | $2,136 | $121,000 |
| >25 | 16 | $123,500 | $17,500 | $3,813 | $1,125 | $145,938 |
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Years at current job | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 23 | $87,261 | $11,739 | $1,739 | $6,217 | $106,957 |
| 1 - 2 | 26 | $102,654 | $10,269 | $8,769 | $2,192 | $123,885 |
| 3 - 5 | 28 | $103,214 | $12,036 | $2,679 | $1,536 | $119,464 |
| 6 - 10 | 13 | $109,385 | $12,769 | $2,462 | $1,769 | $126,385 |
| 11 - 15 | 5 | $110,400 | $14,000 | $200 | $0 | $124,600 |
| 16 - 25 | 3 | $116,333 | $18,333 | $0 | $1,000 | $135,667 |
| >25 | ||||||
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Number of employees supervised | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 (None) | 55 | $93,982 | $11,236 | $1,582 | $1,582 | $108,382 |
| 1 - 2 | 26 | $105,654 | $11,192 | $1,731 | $5,538 | $124,115 |
| 3 - 5 | 11 | $105,182 | $13,273 | $5,000 | $2,273 | $125,727 |
| 6 - 10 | 4 | $136,500 | $18,750 | $42,250 | $3,250 | $200,750 |
| > 10 | 2 | $135,000 | $17,500 | $10,000 | $0 | $162,500 |
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Highest degree achieved | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| High-school graduate | 1 | $119,000 | $12,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $141,000 |
| College graduate | 37 | $99,054 | $13,973 | $2,973 | $2,378 | $118,378 |
| Masters program graduate | 58 | $102,776 | $10,862 | $4,379 | $3,086 | $121,103 |
| Ph.D. graduate | 2 | $72,000 | $3,000 | $1,000 | $1,000 | $77,000 |
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Male | 38 | $102,789 | $14,500 | $7,553 | $4,237 | $129,079 |
| Female | 60 | $99,717 | $10,233 | $1,483 | $1,800 | $113,233 |
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
| Age | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 25 | 1 | $35,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $40,000 | $76,000 |
| 25 - 30 | 13 | $81,846 | $6,462 | $1,692 | $9,846 | $99,846 |
| 31 - 35 | 17 | $80,353 | $8,176 | $10,294 | $1,765 | $100,588 |
| 36 - 45 | 28 | $102,429 | $15,143 | $2,429 | $929 | $120,929 |
| 46 - 55 | 22 | $113,455 | $11,364 | $2,682 | $1,455 | $128,955 |
| 56 - 65 | 17 | $121,176 | $15,765 | $3,000 | $765 | $140,706 |
| 66+ | ||||||
| Mean | 98 | $100,908 | $11,888 | $3,837 | $2,745 | $119,378 |
*Bonus was defined as bonus or commission for 2017 in US dollars.
*Dividends were defined as compensation in the form of dividends, stock options or profit sharing in US dollars for 2017.
*Other was defined as annual value of other compensation (company car, health club membership, mobile phone etc.) in US dollars.