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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 and IMA.
The survey was fielded from May 22 to July 1, 2019. In total there were 2,430 respondents. We received 761 usable surveys from client-side researchers (corporate market research) and 1,166 usable surveys from provider-side researchers (market research company employees). An interval (margin of error) of 2.2 at the 95 percent confidence level was achieved. (Not all respondents answered all questions.)
For additional survey results follow the link below:
Market research salaries by job title
| Industry | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| Advertising/Public Relations | 12 | 116,917 | 2,917 | 1,167 | 1,833 | 122,833 | |
| Agriculture | 1 | 180,000 | 68,000 | 20,000 | 0 | 268,000 | |
| Automotive | 6 | 159,667 | 41,833 | 12,667 | 3,500 | 217,667 | |
| Banking/Financial | 11 | 129,909 | 28,000 | 11,818 | 1,364 | 171,091 | |
| Building Materials/Products | |||||||
| Computer Hardware/Software | 2 | 150,000 | 6,000 | 1,500 | 0 | 157,500 | |
| Construction/Housing | |||||||
| Consulting | 7 | 147,714 | 12,571 | 21,429 | 29,000 | 210,714 | |
| Consumer Goods | 10 | 175,100 | 24,100 | 13,800 | 0 | 213,000 | |
| Education | 8 | 114,875 | 8,750 | 13,750 | 14,750 | 152,125 | |
| Entertainment | 11 | 133,909 | 17,000 | 9,545 | 364 | 160,818 | |
| Food/Beverage | 8 | 149,750 | 22,375 | 14,500 | 3,125 | 189,750 | |
| Government | |||||||
| Health Care/Pharmaceuticals | 20 | 167,550 | 40,200 | 10,500 | 800 | 219,050 | |
| Hospitality (hotels, etc.) | 3 | 160,667 | 22,333 | 0 | 0 | 183,000 | |
| Insurance | 9 | 145,222 | 24,667 | 6,333 | 889 | 177,111 | |
| Manufacturing | 14 | 156,714 | 20,214 | 3,286 | 21,714 | 201,929 | |
| Media/Publishing/Information | 17 | 126,588 | 24,059 | 0 | 8,706 | 159,353 | |
| Non-Profits | 6 | 113,167 | 8,000 | 4,167 | 5,167 | 130,500 | |
| Retail | 11 | 145,909 | 20,273 | 16,727 | 16,545 | 199,455 | |
| Technology/IT/Web | 10 | 154,400 | 21,600 | 7,000 | 4,700 | 187,700 | |
| Telecommunications | 2 | 196,500 | 61,500 | 35,000 | 1,000 | 294,000 | |
| Transportation | 1 | 182,000 | 0 | 0 | 190,000 | 372,000 | |
| Travel | 6 | 127,000 | 15,000 | 15,833 | 833 | 158,667 | |
| Utilities/Energy | 2 | 143,000 | 28,500 | 20,000 | 0 | 191,500 | |
| Other | 9 | 113,333 | 10,222 | 20,778 | 1,333 | 145,667 | |
| Mean | 186 | 143,022 | 21,898 | 9,925 | 7,274 | 182,118 | |
| Region in which located | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| USA - North East (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT) | 15 | $132,267 | $13,333 | $6,000 | $16,800 | $168,400 | |
| USA - Mid Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA) | 36 | $161,750 | $25,361 | $10,278 | $861 | $198,250 | |
| USA - East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) | 21 | $138,571 | $25,524 | $11,952 | $1,524 | $177,571 | |
| USA - West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD) | 13 | $152,077 | $27,462 | $8,462 | $1,615 | $189,615 | |
| USA - South Atlantic (DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV) | 26 | $141,115 | $20,077 | $10,962 | $5,962 | $178,115 | |
| USA - East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN) | 5 | $154,000 | $19,800 | $0 | $0 | $173,800 | |
| USA - West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX) | 6 | $132,000 | $23,167 | $11,667 | $29,667 | $196,500 | |
| USA - Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, WY) | 7 | $128,429 | $14,714 | $8,571 | $1,429 | $153,143 | |
| Pacific Coast (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) | 31 | $157,839 | $17,581 | $13,065 | $12,581 | $201,065 | |
| United Kingdom | 8 | $96,250 | $49,250 | $1,875 | $5,500 | $152,875 | |
| Canada | 6 | $99,167 | $8,000 | $18,333 | $1,500 | $127,000 | |
| Mexico | |||||||
| India | |||||||
| Australia / New Zealand | |||||||
| Western Europe | 9 | $126,889 | $18,333 | $6,667 | $3,444 | $155,333 | |
| Eastern Europe | |||||||
| Africa | |||||||
| Asia | |||||||
| Central and South America | 1 | $76,000 | $30,000 | $10,000 | $5,000 | $121,000 | |
| Middle East | 2 | $151,000 | $11,000 | $5,000 | $97,500 | $264,500 | |
| Mean | 186 | $143,022 | $21,898 | $9,925 | $7,274 | $182,118 | |
| Annual revenue/sales of organization | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| < $1 Million US dollars | 5 | $77,400 | $8,400 | $4,000 | $2,000 | $91,800 | |
| $1M - $3M | 2 | $104,500 | $1,500 | $0 | $5,500 | $111,500 | |
| $3M - $6M | 3 | $130,667 | $6,000 | $0 | $2,667 | $139,333 | |
| $6M - $10M | 4 | $122,750 | $6,000 | $26,250 | $500 | $155,500 | |
| $10M - $50M | 17 | $132,529 | $10,647 | $882 | $1,471 | $145,529 | |
| $50M - $100M | 11 | $116,091 | $5,000 | $1,909 | $23,182 | $146,182 | |
| $100M - $300M | 13 | $132,769 | $4,923 | $18,538 | $11,692 | $167,923 | |
| $300M - $500M | 13 | $148,769 | $18,846 | $1,923 | $2,385 | $171,923 | |
| $500M - $1 Billion | 20 | $130,700 | $29,150 | $10,200 | $1,650 | $171,700 | |
| >$1 Billion US dollars | 91 | $159,209 | $29,637 | $11,681 | $9,044 | $209,571 | |
| Mean | 179 | $143,972 | $21,855 | $9,464 | $7,542 | $182,832 | |
| Number of full-time equivalent market researchers on staff | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| 0 | 1 | $0 | $2,000 | $0 | $0 | $2,000 | |
| 1 - 2 | 29 | $124,621 | $12,172 | $14,345 | $15,276 | $166,414 | |
| 3 - 5 | 47 | $138,085 | $16,936 | $7,596 | $7,766 | $170,383 | |
| 6 - 10 | 30 | $149,067 | $28,100 | $7,533 | $8,000 | $192,700 | |
| 11 - 15 | 17 | $139,824 | $20,588 | $8,471 | $2,529 | $171,412 | |
| 16 - 25 | 16 | $167,438 | $32,188 | $13,813 | $438 | $213,875 | |
| >25 | 43 | $155,302 | $27,116 | $10,977 | $5,907 | $199,302 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Number of years of experience in marketing research | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| < 1 year | 2 | $42,000 | $11,000 | $27,000 | $0 | $80,000 | |
| 1 - 2 | |||||||
| 3 - 5 | 4 | $124,750 | $52,500 | $7,500 | $5,000 | $189,750 | |
| 6 - 10 | 14 | $130,500 | $14,929 | $1,929 | $857 | $148,214 | |
| 11 - 15 | 38 | $145,289 | $23,079 | $12,132 | $6,132 | $186,632 | |
| 16 - 25 | 85 | $145,494 | $20,800 | $12,659 | $12,059 | $191,012 | |
| >25 | 40 | $150,300 | $23,475 | $4,700 | $1,550 | $180,025 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Years at current job | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| < 1 year | 29 | $139,793 | $17,621 | $14,379 | $2,069 | $173,862 | |
| 1 - 2 | 46 | $139,478 | $21,935 | $11,457 | $9,913 | $182,783 | |
| 3 - 5 | 58 | $145,638 | $27,466 | $11,310 | $4,983 | $189,397 | |
| 6 - 10 | 32 | $148,813 | $21,531 | $5,031 | $10,375 | $185,750 | |
| 11 - 15 | 9 | $166,222 | $18,778 | $6,111 | $21,778 | $212,889 | |
| 16 - 25 | 8 | $123,375 | $6,750 | $2,500 | $2,375 | $135,000 | |
| >25 | 1 | $148,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $148,000 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Number of employees supervised | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| 0 (None) | 38 | $133,289 | $10,763 | $7,737 | $4,500 | $156,289 | |
| 1 - 2 | 64 | $133,828 | $20,500 | $7,172 | $7,016 | $168,516 | |
| 3 - 5 | 49 | $150,429 | $24,939 | $14,143 | $5,082 | $194,592 | |
| 6 - 10 | 19 | $165,579 | $33,053 | $12,105 | $12,684 | $223,421 | |
| > 10 | 13 | $166,385 | $34,923 | $12,308 | $18,615 | $232,231 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Highest degree achieved | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| High-school graduate | 2 | $53,000 | $5,000 | $10,000 | $0 | $68,000 | |
| College graduate | 58 | $140,672 | $19,017 | $8,310 | $8,224 | $176,224 | |
| Masters program graduate | 112 | $145,759 | $24,509 | $10,795 | $7,661 | $188,723 | |
| Ph.D. graduate | 11 | $156,364 | $15,182 | $11,364 | $1,545 | $184,455 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Gender | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| Male | 84 | $144,536 | $24,048 | $11,298 | $6,821 | $186,702 | |
| Female | 99 | $143,121 | $20,253 | $8,960 | $7,869 | $180,202 | |
| Non-binary | |||||||
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
| Age | |||||||
| Count | Base | Bonus | Div.* | Other* | Total | ||
| < 25 | 1 | $0 | $2,000 | $0 | $0 | $2,000 | |
| 25 - 30 | |||||||
| 31 - 35 | 18 | $133,833 | $14,889 | $5,667 | $1,944 | $156,333 | |
| 36 - 45 | 58 | $144,897 | $22,672 | $14,017 | $9,517 | $191,103 | |
| 46 - 55 | 73 | $144,575 | $22,342 | $10,466 | $10,000 | $187,384 | |
| 56 - 65 | 27 | $152,704 | $27,778 | $5,074 | $1,000 | $186,556 | |
| 66+ | 6 | $136,667 | $9,833 | $3,333 | $1,333 | $151,167 | |
| Mean | 183 | $143,770 | $21,995 | $10,033 | $7,388 | $183,186 | |
*Bonus was defined as bonus or commission for 2018 in US dollars.
*Dividends were defined as compensation in the form of dividends, stock options or profit sharing in US dollars for 2018.
*Other was defined as annual value of other compensation (company car, health club membership, mobile phone etc.) in US dollars