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
Market research director/Senior director salary by:
| Industry | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Advertising/Public Relations | 17 | $120,235 | $6,176 | $3,118 | $2,000 | $131,529 |
| Agriculture | 1 | $173,000 | $25,000 | $0 | $0 | $198,000 |
| Automotive | 3 | $137,000 | $24,000 | $1,000 | $25,667 | $187,667 |
| Banking/Financial | 14 | $146,214 | $30,143 | $20,500 | $71 | $196,929 |
| Building Materials/Products | ||||||
| Computer Hardware/Software | 3 | $135,000 | $17,000 | $3,000 | $3,000 | $158,000 |
| Construction/Housing | ||||||
| Consulting | 3 | $149,333 | $29,667 | $13,333 | $0 | $192,333 |
| Consumer Goods | 17 | $159,706 | $29,824 | $9,824 | $15,353 | $214,706 |
| Education | 5 | $120,600 | $1,800 | $0 | $17,000 | $139,400 |
| Entertainment | 10 | $176,200 | $23,000 | $21,100 | $3,500 | $223,800 |
| Food/Beverage | 13 | $156,077 | $28,538 | $9,769 | $10,000 | $204,385 |
| Government | 1 | $135,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $135,000 |
| Health Care/Pharmaceuticals | 20 | $159,000 | $29,150 | $16,950 | $1,850 | $206,950 |
| Hospitality (hotels, etc.) | 6 | $119,500 | $20,833 | $6,167 | $2,000 | $148,500 |
| Insurance | 14 | $142,357 | $32,929 | $6,857 | $571 | $182,714 |
| Manufacturing | 9 | $141,889 | $21,333 | $7,444 | $15,778 | $186,444 |
| Media/Publishing/Information | 26 | $116,462 | $12,500 | $1,538 | $923 | $131,423 |
| Non-Profits | 14 | $121,357 | $6,786 | $0 | $4,286 | $132,429 |
| Retail | 8 | $156,250 | $33,500 | $28,125 | $625 | $218,500 |
| Technology/IT/Web | 12 | $130,750 | $23,500 | $19,167 | $1,417 | $174,833 |
| Telecommunications | 3 | $115,000 | $42,333 | $10,000 | $14,000 | $181,333 |
| Transportation | 2 | $91,000 | $11,500 | $0 | $30,500 | $133,000 |
| Travel | 3 | $126,333 | $14,333 | $15,667 | $4,333 | $160,667 |
| Utilities/Energy | 2 | $113,500 | $9,500 | $500 | $2,500 | $126,000 |
| Other | 11 | $145,636 | $14,273 | $1,636 | $818 | $162,364 |
| Mean | 217 | $139,263 | $21,111 | $9,341 | $4,917 | $174,631 |
| Region in which located | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 29 | $154,724 | $27,931 | $14,621 | $655 | $197,931 |
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 29 | $155,621 | $18,310 | $2,828 | $7,448 | $184,207 |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 27 | $134,741 | $15,963 | $9,407 | $778 | $160,889 |
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 17 | $124,235 | $18,235 | $3,765 | $1,529 | $147,765 |
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 23 | $123,870 | $14,522 | $957 | $6,652 | $146,000 |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 3 | $154,333 | $26,000 | $12,000 | $2,333 | $194,667 |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 8 | $135,125 | $27,875 | $17,375 | $3,750 | $184,125 |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 9 | $136,000 | $25,444 | $11,333 | $1,556 | $174,333 |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 33 | $172,576 | $31,273 | $21,303 | $1,697 | $226,848 |
| Canada | 4 | $105,500 | $6,250 | $0 | $1,000 | $112,750 |
| Mexico | ||||||
| Central and South America | 2 | $81,500 | $2,500 | $500 | $0 | $84,500 |
| Eastern Europe | 3 | $88,667 | $10,667 | $8,333 | $60,000 | $167,667 |
| Western Europe | 21 | $121,286 | $20,524 | $6,905 | $8,476 | $157,190 |
| Asia | 5 | $65,600 | $11,800 | $6,000 | $2,600 | $86,000 |
| Middle East | 2 | $131,000 | $20,000 | $0 | $73,500 | $224,500 |
| Africa | 2 | $85,000 | $5,500 | $0 | $1,500 | $92,000 |
| Australia/New Zealand | ||||||
| Mean | 217 | $139,263 | $21,111 | $9,341 | $4,917 | $174,631 |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < $1 Million US dollars | 2 | $133,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $133,000 |
| $1M - $3M | 3 | $71,000 | $5,000 | $333 | $0 | $76,333 |
| $3M - $6M | 3 | $86,667 | $2,000 | $2,000 | $0 | $90,667 |
| $6M - $10M | 3 | $113,667 | $15,333 | $0 | $4,333 | $133,333 |
| $10M - $50M | 15 | $108,733 | $10,267 | $2,267 | $2,933 | $124,200 |
| $50M - $100M | 17 | $131,588 | $9,941 | $882 | $1,706 | $144,118 |
| $100M - $300M | 23 | $124,652 | $13,043 | $12,435 | $1,087 | $151,217 |
| $300M - $500M | 12 | $141,167 | $18,083 | $3,500 | $1,500 | $164,250 |
| $500M - $1 Billion | 17 | $135,353 | $21,706 | $7,059 | $13,353 | $177,471 |
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 108 | $154,565 | $29,148 | $13,796 | $5,731 | $203,241 |
| Mean | 203 | $140,409 | $21,793 | $9,823 | $4,803 | $176,828 |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 | 1 | $120,000 | $8,000 | $0 | $0 | $128,000 |
| 1 - 2 | 54 | $120,463 | $14,778 | $1,315 | $6,296 | $142,852 |
| 3 - 5 | 48 | $135,604 | $18,188 | $9,375 | $1,396 | $164,563 |
| 6 - 10 | 41 | $146,463 | $23,659 | $10,780 | $6,366 | $187,268 |
| 11 - 15 | 27 | $155,815 | $29,296 | $13,593 | $7,519 | $206,222 |
| 16 - 25 | 7 | $144,714 | $23,143 | $9,857 | $2,286 | $180,000 |
| >25 | 36 | $152,278 | $26,000 | $17,444 | $5,000 | $200,722 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | ||||||
| 3 - 5 | 8 | $122,875 | $15,250 | $3,375 | $750 | $142,250 |
| 6 - 10 | 16 | $122,688 | $24,938 | $4,563 | $688 | $152,875 |
| 11 - 15 | 55 | $136,218 | $18,218 | $8,745 | $3,345 | $166,527 |
| 16 - 25 | 80 | $134,475 | $20,050 | $9,825 | $8,300 | $172,650 |
| >25 | 55 | $157,182 | $25,655 | $12,000 | $3,673 | $198,509 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Years at current job | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 33 | $147,818 | $23,061 | $15,909 | $5,000 | $191,788 |
| 1 - 2 | 44 | $140,000 | $23,000 | $10,523 | $2,455 | $175,977 |
| 3 - 5 | 72 | $145,167 | $23,583 | $8,625 | $7,250 | $184,625 |
| 6 - 10 | 40 | $124,175 | $15,425 | $4,000 | $1,750 | $145,350 |
| 11 - 15 | 19 | $133,474 | $18,421 | $10,895 | $5,421 | $168,211 |
| 16 - 25 | 5 | $151,600 | $19,000 | $10,000 | $19,800 | $200,400 |
| >25 | 1 | $90,000 | $5,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $96,000 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Number of employees supervised | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 (None) | 44 | $126,795 | $14,727 | $4,909 | $4,886 | $151,318 |
| 1 - 2 | 68 | $132,147 | $16,574 | $5,324 | $2,721 | $156,765 |
| 3 - 5 | 59 | $148,051 | $26,831 | $9,508 | $2,915 | $187,305 |
| 6 - 10 | 26 | $140,692 | $23,000 | $20,769 | $4,692 | $189,154 |
| > 10 | 17 | $169,588 | $34,235 | $20,471 | $21,941 | $246,235 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Highest degree achieved | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| High-school graduate | 1 | $102,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $113,000 |
| College graduate | 59 | $132,559 | $19,492 | $4,203 | $4,661 | $160,915 |
| Masters program graduate | 142 | $140,324 | $21,211 | $11,852 | $4,923 | $178,310 |
| Ph.D. graduate | 12 | $166,000 | $30,500 | $8,000 | $7,667 | $212,167 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Male | 98 | $149,592 | $24,327 | $11,561 | $6,286 | $191,765 |
| Female | 116 | $130,871 | $18,569 | $7,707 | $3,888 | $161,034 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
| Age | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 25 | ||||||
| 25 - 30 | 3 | $126,333 | $14,333 | $0 | $0 | $140,667 |
| 31 - 35 | 16 | $108,750 | $16,188 | $625 | $4,688 | $130,250 |
| 36 - 45 | 79 | $136,696 | $20,405 | $10,316 | $4,886 | $172,304 |
| 46 - 55 | 76 | $142,882 | $21,750 | $9,447 | $6,224 | $180,303 |
| 56 - 65 | 38 | $152,079 | $24,816 | $11,895 | $3,474 | $192,263 |
| 66+ | 2 | $142,500 | $14,000 | $16,000 | $500 | $173,000 |
| Mean | 214 | $139,444 | $21,206 | $9,472 | $4,986 | $175,107 |
*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.