Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign.
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. The role reports a median annual salary of $76,950 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $40,020 and $137,550 and is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows high AI exposure (0.71 on a 0-1 scale) — significant portions of core tasks are already being automated. The most in-demand skills for the role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sales and Marketing
- Mathematics
- Administration and Management
- Communications and Media
- Computers and Electronics
- Economics and Accounting
A day in the life
You start your morning reviewing overnight campaign metrics, social-media analytics, and survey responses that rolled in from a consumer panel, looking for trends that could shape the next product launch or ad strategy. Your day involves designing questionnaires, running focus groups or A/B tests, pulling data from tools like Google Analytics or Tableau, and synthesizing findings into presentations for brand managers and C-suite executives. You collaborate with creative teams, sales reps, and external research vendors, often debating whether the data supports a bold new positioning or a safe incremental move. The work is energizing when your insight drives a campaign that resonates with customers, but frustrating when budgets get cut or decision-makers ignore the data in favor of gut instinct.
Frequently asked questions
What does Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists do?
Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign.
What does a typical day look like in Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists?
You start your morning reviewing overnight campaign metrics, social-media analytics, and survey responses that rolled in from a consumer panel, looking for trends that could shape the next product launch or ad strategy. Your day involves designing questionnaires, running focus groups or A/B tests, pulling data from tools like Google Analytics or Tableau, and synthesizing findings into presentations for brand managers and C-suite executives.
How much does Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists earn?
The median annual salary for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in the US is $76,950. The middle 80% of workers earn between $40,020 and $137,550 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $53,290 and $103,080.
What is the job outlook for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists?
The role is projected to grow 7% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 941,700 workers.
How do I become market research analysts and marketing specialists?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists?
Our AI-durability model gives Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists a score of 0.71 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at high AI risk — many core tasks are already being automated by generative AI and workflow tools. Focus on AI-adjacent skills or plan a pivot to an AI-durable adjacent role.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.
Is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists right for you?
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