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
Owner/Partner salary and compensation by:
| Region in which located | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 32 | $132,750 | $30,813 | $28,250 | $8,281 | $200,094 |
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 24 | $135,792 | $19,750 | $20,042 | $26,708 | $202,292 |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 41 | $128,927 | $23,878 | $21,951 | $8,146 | $182,902 |
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 20 | $134,100 | $19,750 | $13,550 | $6,150 | $173,550 |
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 31 | $104,484 | $14,194 | $29,839 | $12,323 | $160,839 |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 6 | $149,333 | $169,500 | $14,000 | $5,500 | $338,333 |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 17 | $125,118 | $15,235 | $40,000 | $4,706 | $185,059 |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 13 | $117,154 | $19,692 | $44,615 | $11,538 | $193,000 |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 50 | $121,240 | $11,920 | $28,960 | $3,320 | $165,440 |
| Canada | 17 | $112,588 | $14,941 | $50,235 | $13,294 | $191,059 |
| Mexico | 6 | $73,833 | $2,833 | $3,000 | $1,833 | $81,500 |
| Central and South America | 9 | $50,111 | $5,000 | $13,111 | $3,000 | $71,222 |
| Eastern Europe | 20 | $51,850 | $13,350 | $38,800 | $6,300 | $110,300 |
| Western Europe | 44 | $67,364 | $6,682 | $31,523 | $3,841 | $109,409 |
| Asia | 23 | $88,391 | $12,261 | $15,478 | $9,870 | $126,000 |
| Middle East | 4 | $94,750 | $7,500 | $40,000 | $2,750 | $145,000 |
| Africa | 8 | $65,500 | $14,500 | $8,625 | $5,250 | $93,875 |
| Australia/New Zealand | 12 | $138,583 | $1,500 | $43,333 | $19,250 | $202,667 |
| Mean | 377 | $108,037 | $17,838 | $27,934 | $8,605 | $162,414 |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < $1 Million US dollars | 230 | $86,474 | $7,926 | $18,183 | $5,117 | $117,700 |
| $1M - $3M | 70 | $130,943 | $21,443 | $36,586 | $14,743 | $203,714 |
| $3M - $6M | 28 | $152,250 | $41,429 | $57,071 | $12,143 | $262,893 |
| $6M - $10M | 10 | $167,400 | $131,200 | $39,700 | $14,400 | $352,700 |
| $10M - $50M | 13 | $196,000 | $41,154 | $114,000 | $17,462 | $368,615 |
| $50M - $100M | 1 | $37,000 | $0 | $0 | $13,000 | $50,000 |
| $100M - $300M | 5 | $142,400 | $53,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $210,400 |
| $300M - $500M | 2 | $225,000 | $0 | $12,500 | $500 | $238,000 |
| $500M - $1 Billion | ||||||
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 1 | $175,000 | $20,000 | $0 | $210,000 | $405,000 |
| Mean | 360 | $108,094 | $18,378 | $28,597 | $8,803 | $163,872 |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 | 32 | $114,188 | $3,344 | $13,438 | $3,250 | $134,219 |
| 1 - 2 | 135 | $94,585 | $10,711 | $22,733 | $7,941 | $135,970 |
| 3 - 5 | 81 | $93,321 | $13,432 | $24,086 | $9,494 | $140,333 |
| 6 - 10 | 42 | $128,500 | $30,881 | $25,429 | $12,333 | $197,143 |
| 11 - 15 | 20 | $118,150 | $18,850 | $29,550 | $11,150 | $177,700 |
| 16 - 25 | 22 | $110,773 | $24,318 | $55,591 | $7,455 | $198,136 |
| >25 | 29 | $163,966 | $60,897 | $67,276 | $11,034 | $303,172 |
| Mean | 361 | $107,850 | $18,327 | $28,485 | $8,781 | $163,443 |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | 1 | $55,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $55,000 |
| 3 - 5 | 6 | $45,667 | $2,667 | $8,000 | $2,167 | $58,500 |
| 6 - 10 | 19 | $75,947 | $10,053 | $15,842 | $16,053 | $117,895 |
| 11 - 15 | 38 | $99,053 | $9,158 | $44,158 | $7,263 | $159,632 |
| 16 - 25 | 127 | $100,953 | $20,528 | $25,047 | $6,425 | $152,953 |
| >25 | 170 | $121,041 | $20,318 | $29,853 | $10,353 | $181,565 |
| Mean | 361 | $107,850 | $18,327 | $28,485 | $8,781 | $163,443 |
| Years at current job | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 11 | $105,000 | $15,909 | $9,545 | $19,455 | $149,909 |
| 1 - 2 | 33 | $88,182 | $9,848 | $10,303 | $7,152 | $115,485 |
| 3 - 5 | 52 | $100,769 | $8,577 | $22,404 | $3,808 | $135,558 |
| 6 - 10 | 62 | $97,419 | $8,597 | $42,839 | $9,194 | $158,048 |
| 11 - 15 | 69 | $110,841 | $24,725 | $36,130 | $7,478 | $179,174 |
| 16 - 25 | 77 | $123,753 | $24,662 | $29,545 | $11,883 | $189,844 |
| >25 | 56 | $112,714 | $27,357 | $22,304 | $9,304 | $171,679 |
| Mean | 360 | $107,872 | $18,378 | $28,564 | $8,806 | $163,619 |
| Number of employees supervised | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 (None) | 123 | $100,480 | $7,293 | $24,065 | $6,480 | $138,317 |
| 1 - 2 | 73 | $96,068 | $18,795 | $23,699 | $6,247 | $144,808 |
| 3 - 5 | 70 | $108,557 | $18,829 | $11,657 | $12,329 | $151,371 |
| 6 - 10 | 43 | $129,512 | $22,512 | $49,744 | $12,279 | $214,047 |
| > 10 | 51 | $123,412 | $40,412 | $51,725 | $10,314 | $225,863 |
| Mean | 360 | $107,872 | $18,378 | $28,564 | $8,806 | $163,619 |
| Highest degree achieved | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| High-school graduate | 12 | $75,583 | $10,583 | $42,333 | $3,667 | $132,167 |
| College graduate | 118 | $108,686 | $23,602 | $31,415 | $11,297 | $175,000 |
| Masters program graduate | 188 | $106,569 | $17,085 | $25,229 | $6,957 | $155,840 |
| Ph.D. graduate | 42 | $120,643 | $11,714 | $31,548 | $11,548 | $175,452 |
| Mean | 360 | $107,872 | $18,378 | $28,564 | $8,806 | $163,619 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Male | 213 | $106,108 | $19,704 | $31,418 | $8,887 | $166,117 |
| Female | 147 | $110,429 | $16,456 | $24,429 | $8,687 | $160,000 |
| Mean | 360 | $107,872 | $18,378 | $28,564 | $8,806 | $163,619 |
| Age | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 25 | ||||||
| 25 - 30 | 3 | $76,667 | $12,333 | $26,333 | $8,667 | $124,000 |
| 31 - 35 | 13 | $76,923 | $3,462 | $6,385 | $2,846 | $89,615 |
| 36 - 45 | 67 | $88,687 | $24,284 | $30,701 | $7,134 | $150,806 |
| 46 - 55 | 159 | $115,937 | $12,560 | $28,340 | $9,119 | $165,956 |
| 56 - 65 | 88 | $106,727 | $25,614 | $29,455 | $10,591 | $172,386 |
| 66+ | 30 | $127,867 | $21,867 | $32,200 | $8,233 | $190,167 |
| Mean | 360 | $107,872 | $18,378 | $28,564 | $8,806 | $163,619 |
*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.