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
Vice president/senior vice president salary by:
| Region in which located | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 33 | $173,545 | $30,182 | $10,455 | $3,061 | $217,242 |
| Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 40 | $157,400 | $35,150 | $2,875 | $925 | $196,350 |
| East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 41 | $160,341 | $24,024 | $6,707 | $1,171 | $192,244 |
| West N. Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 15 | $133,000 | $21,733 | $0 | $67 | $154,800 |
| S. Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 31 | $131,355 | $17,290 | $1,032 | $258 | $149,935 |
| East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 3 | $136,667 | $6,667 | $0 | $2,333 | $145,667 |
| West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 13 | $127,615 | $44,846 | $2,615 | $1,154 | $176,231 |
| Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 9 | $154,556 | $48,667 | $4,889 | $1,333 | $209,444 |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 28 | $153,179 | $40,071 | $6,714 | $750 | $200,714 |
| Canada | 19 | $107,053 | $12,474 | $2,474 | $1,895 | $123,895 |
| Mexico | ||||||
| Central and South America | ||||||
| Eastern Europe | 1 | $100,000 | $11,000 | $5,000 | $0 | $116,000 |
| Western Europe | 17 | $133,059 | $15,882 | $5,882 | $9,353 | $164,176 |
| Asia | 8 | $50,000 | $12,125 | $250 | $1,750 | $64,125 |
| Middle East | 2 | $165,000 | $4,000 | $0 | $10,000 | $179,000 |
| Africa | 1 | $130,000 | $8,000 | $0 | $0 | $138,000 |
| Australia/New Zealand | 4 | $166,250 | $12,500 | $1,250 | $0 | $180,000 |
| Mean | 265 | $144,657 | $26,766 | $4,498 | $1,808 | $177,728 |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < $1 Million US dollars | 3 | $84,000 | $3,667 | $0 | $1,667 | $89,333 |
| $1M - $3M | 36 | $112,417 | $17,000 | $1,611 | $1,361 | $132,389 |
| $3M - $6M | 30 | $116,133 | $19,367 | $3,700 | $1,267 | $140,467 |
| $6M - $10M | 24 | $142,458 | $32,625 | $1,833 | $1,875 | $178,792 |
| $10M - $50M | 77 | $139,364 | $29,182 | $4,987 | $1,597 | $175,130 |
| $50M - $100M | 27 | $180,815 | $27,333 | $6,704 | $1,074 | $215,926 |
| $100M - $300M | 15 | $169,667 | $54,800 | $0 | $267 | $224,733 |
| $300M - $500M | 6 | $188,833 | $33,000 | $2,333 | $2,500 | $226,667 |
| $500M - $1 Billion | 11 | $172,545 | $31,455 | $5,182 | $182 | $209,364 |
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 28 | $170,393 | $18,321 | $7,250 | $6,000 | $201,964 |
| Mean | 257 | $144,599 | $26,658 | $4,093 | $1,860 | $177,210 |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | 2 | $67,500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $67,500 |
| 3 - 5 | 9 | $138,222 | $10,333 | $0 | $2,556 | $151,111 |
| 6 - 10 | 25 | $119,360 | $21,920 | $200 | $640 | $142,120 |
| 11 - 15 | 20 | $113,400 | $11,000 | $1,400 | $500 | $126,300 |
| 16 - 25 | 20 | $114,600 | $30,700 | $9,150 | $1,100 | $155,550 |
| >25 | 182 | $156,055 | $29,632 | $4,593 | $2,236 | $192,516 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | ||||||
| 1 - 2 | 1 | $175,000 | $70,000 | $133,000 | $0 | $378,000 |
| 3 - 5 | 5 | $122,800 | $26,800 | $0 | $1,400 | $151,000 |
| 6 - 10 | 15 | $113,267 | $49,467 | $0 | $1,133 | $163,867 |
| 11 - 15 | 43 | $137,465 | $22,884 | $3,093 | $2,023 | $165,465 |
| 16 - 25 | 112 | $147,500 | $24,348 | $1,679 | $2,393 | $175,920 |
| >25 | 82 | $151,293 | $26,963 | $7,293 | $1,207 | $186,756 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Years at current job | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 1 year | 33 | $157,727 | $33,788 | $8,000 | $2,394 | $201,909 |
| 1 - 2 | 52 | $133,731 | $17,596 | $5,923 | $1,077 | $158,327 |
| 3 - 5 | 73 | $143,438 | $26,795 | $1,137 | $2,452 | $173,822 |
| 6 - 10 | 59 | $145,288 | $32,305 | $1,610 | $1,593 | $180,797 |
| 11 - 15 | 19 | $156,684 | $24,368 | $8,895 | $2,632 | $192,579 |
| 16 - 25 | 14 | $148,000 | $30,214 | $7,286 | $1,071 | $186,571 |
| >25 | 8 | $134,250 | $11,250 | $3,875 | $625 | $150,000 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Number of employees supervised | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| 0 (None) | 43 | $132,488 | $36,698 | $2,721 | $4,651 | $176,558 |
| 1 - 2 | 52 | $148,231 | $24,154 | $10,058 | $1,519 | $183,962 |
| 3 - 5 | 67 | $133,806 | $23,791 | $1,045 | $1,687 | $160,328 |
| 6 - 10 | 47 | $152,319 | $22,000 | $2,766 | $1,106 | $178,191 |
| > 10 | 49 | $159,102 | $28,694 | $4,327 | $694 | $192,816 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Highest degree achieved | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| High-school graduate | 6 | $141,667 | $6,833 | $3,167 | $4,167 | $155,833 |
| College graduate | 113 | $136,717 | $29,363 | $3,805 | $1,673 | $171,558 |
| Masters program graduate | 115 | $146,061 | $25,070 | $4,226 | $2,078 | $177,435 |
| Ph.D. graduate | 24 | $176,208 | $26,083 | $4,875 | $1,042 | $208,208 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Gender | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| Male | 137 | $147,190 | $30,949 | $3,139 | $1,518 | $182,796 |
| Female | 121 | $141,818 | $21,719 | $5,140 | $2,231 | $170,909 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
| Age | ||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | |
| < 25 | ||||||
| 25 - 30 | 4 | $118,750 | $57,500 | $0 | $2,500 | $178,750 |
| 31 - 35 | 16 | $115,688 | $34,625 | $2,375 | $1,813 | $154,500 |
| 36 - 45 | 84 | $140,929 | $26,940 | $1,893 | $3,119 | $172,881 |
| 46 - 55 | 105 | $143,105 | $24,638 | $3,810 | $867 | $172,419 |
| 56 - 65 | 44 | $169,886 | $24,864 | $10,341 | $1,773 | $206,864 |
| 66+ | 5 | $132,000 | $28,000 | $0 | $1,600 | $161,600 |
| Mean | 258 | $144,671 | $26,620 | $4,078 | $1,853 | $177,221 |
*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.