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 manager salary by:
| Industry | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Advertising/Public Relations | 5 | $60,800 | $800 | $0 | $0 | $61,600 |
| Agriculture | ||||||
| Automotive | 4 | $117,000 | $9,250 | $0 | $3,250 | $129,500 |
| Banking/Financial | 23 | $102,043 | $11,913 | $1,348 | $565 | $115,870 |
| Building Materials/Products | 4 | $118,750 | $11,250 | $6,500 | $0 | $136,500 |
| Computer Hardware/Software | 3 | $150,000 | $23,000 | $5,667 | $1,000 | $179,667 |
| Construction/Housing | 3 | $74,333 | $14,667 | $0 | $3,667 | $92,667 |
| Consulting | 1 | $76,000 | $14,000 | $6,000 | $0 | $96,000 |
| Consumer Goods | 36 | $118,472 | $13,611 | $4,750 | $556 | $137,389 |
| Education | 4 | $109,250 | $3,000 | $0 | $2,500 | $114,750 |
| Entertainment | 5 | $99,200 | $3,600 | $0 | $0 | $102,800 |
| Food/Beverage | 22 | $104,591 | $10,273 | $1,955 | $3,091 | $119,909 |
| Government | ||||||
| Health Care/Pharmaceuticals | 28 | $110,143 | $13,107 | $3,893 | $7,357 | $134,500 |
| Hospitality (hotels, etc.) | 2 | $113,000 | $10,000 | $10,000 | $1,500 | $134,500 |
| Insurance | 14 | $113,500 | $15,786 | $0 | $1,000 | $130,286 |
| Manufacturing | 18 | $114,778 | $12,500 | $2,889 | $7,333 | $137,500 |
| Media/Publishing/Information | 8 | $87,750 | $2,750 | $250 | $375 | $91,125 |
| Non-Profits | 12 | $89,250 | $3,083 | $1,333 | $250 | $93,917 |
| Retail | 8 | $112,250 | $5,500 | $1,125 | $500 | $119,375 |
| Technology/IT/Web | 13 | $122,923 | $12,385 | $7,308 | $3,462 | $146,077 |
| Telecommunications | 10 | $89,100 | $12,500 | $1,400 | $1,800 | $104,800 |
| Transportation | 2 | $41,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $41,500 |
| Travel | 3 | $54,000 | $20,000 | $5,333 | $2,000 | $81,333 |
| Utilities/Energy | 7 | $112,857 | $8,714 | $1,429 | $1,143 | $124,143 |
| Other | 8 | $115,750 | $6,875 | $0 | $750 | $123,375 |
| Mean | 243 | $106,700 | $10,827 | $2,621 | $2,412 | $122,560 |
| Region in which located | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 13 | $113,846 | $12,385 | $3,000 | $462 | $129,692 |
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 27 | $116,222 | $10,222 | $1,185 | $963 | $128,593 |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 40 | $110,500 | $13,575 | $3,500 | $5,350 | $132,925 |
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 21 | $114,571 | $11,238 | $3,143 | $5,714 | $134,667 |
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 32 | $108,031 | $10,750 | $2,250 | $938 | $121,969 |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 5 | $113,400 | $5,800 | $6,600 | $800 | $126,600 |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 11 | $113,818 | $8,273 | $182 | $1,727 | $124,000 |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 13 | $96,077 | $8,308 | $3,923 | $462 | $108,769 |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 37 | $129,649 | $13,838 | $4,973 | $1,189 | $149,649 |
| Canada | 8 | $80,375 | $4,250 | $1,750 | $1,750 | $88,125 |
| Mexico | ||||||
| Central and South America | ||||||
| Eastern Europe | 4 | $38,250 | $4,250 | $0 | $500 | $43,000 |
| Western Europe | 20 | $86,600 | $11,150 | $200 | $1,850 | $99,800 |
| Asia | 9 | $37,111 | $5,889 | $0 | $4,889 | $47,889 |
| Middle East | 1 | $46,000 | $4,000 | $0 | $20,000 | $70,000 |
| Africa | ||||||
| Australia/New Zealand | 2 | $127,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $127,000 |
| Mean | 243 | $106,700 | $10,827 | $2,621 | $2,412 | $122,560 |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < $1 Million US dollars | 4 | $90,750 | $3,750 | $0 | $2,500 | $97,000 |
| $1M - $3M | 5 | $71,000 | $1,400 | $0 | $400 | $72,800 |
| $3M - $6M | 5 | $71,400 | $1,400 | $0 | $0 | $72,800 |
| $6M - $10M | 3 | $64,000 | $2,333 | $667 | $333 | $67,333 |
| $10M - $50M | 10 | $82,900 | $6,400 | $1,700 | $100 | $91,100 |
| $50M - $100M | 7 | $97,571 | $6,000 | $0 | $5,143 | $108,714 |
| $100M - $300M | 17 | $93,118 | $9,765 | $3,471 | $706 | $107,059 |
| $300M - $500M | 14 | $97,571 | $12,286 | $1,714 | $1,286 | $112,857 |
| $500M - $1 Billion | 28 | $109,571 | $10,179 | $1,750 | $1,286 | $122,786 |
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 136 | $116,390 | $12,993 | $3,522 | $2,037 | $134,941 |
| Mean | 229 | $107,533 | $11,057 | $2,751 | $1,716 | $123,057 |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | 57 | $94,877 | $8,877 | $1,895 | $1,281 | $106,930 |
| 3 - 5 | 58 | $104,155 | $10,966 | $1,897 | $1,517 | $118,534 |
| 6 - 10 | 33 | $98,242 | $7,970 | $788 | $4,697 | $111,697 |
| 11 - 15 | 15 | $101,467 | $11,200 | $267 | $267 | $113,200 |
| 16 - 25 | 18 | $117,056 | $12,722 | $3,222 | $1,111 | $134,111 |
| >25 | 54 | $126,093 | $13,870 | $6,130 | $981 | $147,074 |
| Mean | 235 | $106,932 | $10,855 | $2,711 | $1,672 | $122,170 |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | ||||||
| 3 - 5 | 12 | $86,250 | $4,750 | $1,500 | $500 | $93,000 |
| 6 - 10 | 54 | $100,019 | $9,796 | $3,241 | $1,426 | $114,481 |
| 11 - 15 | 51 | $107,882 | $10,941 | $2,667 | $3,353 | $124,843 |
| 16 - 25 | 75 | $110,413 | $11,107 | $2,560 | $1,533 | $125,613 |
| >25 | 42 | $115,000 | $13,667 | $2,762 | $571 | $132,000 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
| Years at current job | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 37 | $115,297 | $8,946 | $3,135 | $4,649 | $132,027 |
| 1 - 2 | 71 | $105,437 | $9,254 | $2,704 | $577 | $117,972 |
| 3 - 5 | 55 | $102,273 | $12,236 | $2,455 | $2,073 | $119,036 |
| 6 - 10 | 44 | $106,614 | $11,341 | $3,068 | $1,182 | $122,205 |
| 11 - 15 | 15 | $112,467 | $17,400 | $2,067 | $533 | $132,467 |
| 16 - 25 | 10 | $104,200 | $8,800 | $1,700 | $300 | $115,000 |
| >25 | 2 | $126,000 | $21,000 | $5,500 | $1,500 | $154,000 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
| Number of employees supervised | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 (None) | 138 | $106,696 | $11,297 | $1,942 | $790 | $120,725 |
| 1 - 2 | 71 | $104,775 | $10,479 | $3,099 | $1,465 | $119,817 |
| 3 - 5 | 19 | $114,737 | $10,158 | $3,368 | $8,474 | $136,737 |
| 6 - 10 | 4 | $98,500 | $7,000 | $5,250 | $3,500 | $114,250 |
| > 10 | 2 | $156,000 | $13,500 | $32,000 | $2,500 | $204,000 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
| Highest degree achieved | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| High-school graduate | 2 | $122,500 | $20,000 | $0 | $1,000 | $143,500 |
| College graduate | 74 | $104,257 | $11,176 | $2,284 | $1,149 | $118,865 |
| Masters program graduate | 153 | $108,235 | $10,758 | $3,026 | $1,935 | $123,954 |
| Ph.D. graduate | 5 | $105,800 | $7,600 | $1,000 | $2,000 | $116,400 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Male | 93 | $103,376 | $10,065 | $3,022 | $1,097 | $117,559 |
| Female | 141 | $109,468 | $11,454 | $2,525 | $2,064 | $125,511 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
| Age | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 25 | ||||||
| 25 - 30 | 15 | $85,733 | $5,133 | $3,733 | $867 | $95,467 |
| 31 - 35 | 35 | $93,171 | $8,400 | $3,571 | $2,514 | $107,657 |
| 36 - 45 | 73 | $108,548 | $11,671 | $1,507 | $2,726 | $124,452 |
| 46 - 55 | 77 | $113,195 | $10,727 | $3,558 | $896 | $128,377 |
| 56 - 65 | 32 | $111,781 | $14,625 | $1,719 | $750 | $128,875 |
| 66+ | 2 | $142,500 | $17,000 | $8,500 | $0 | $168,000 |
| Mean | 234 | $107,047 | $10,902 | $2,722 | $1,679 | $122,350 |
*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.