Salary data
Market Research Analyst Salary (May 2025 BLS Data)
The median annual pay for market research analysts and marketing specialists in the US is $78,760, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $155,480. BLS counts market research analysts and marketing specialists as one occupation, so this page shows that group's pay range and state medians from the May 2025 survey, and where research roles tend to sit.
Key takeaways
- BLS counts market research analysts and marketing specialists as one occupation, code 13-1161, so their pay figures are shared.
- Entry-level market research analysts usually start near the lower part of the BLS range, around the 25th percentile.
- Analysts who design surveys or run advanced statistics usually earn more than those who mainly compile desk research.
- Market research analyst pay varies widely by state, mostly with the cost of living and where employers are based.
- A market research analyst studies customers and markets; a marketing analyst usually measures the company's own campaigns.
How much does a market research analyst make?
The median annual pay for market research analysts and marketing specialists in the US is $78,760. The middle half earn between $58,350 and $108,310, and the top 10% earn more than $155,480. About 899,580 people work in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Occupation 13-1161.
The pay range for market research analysts and marketing specialists
Read the range, not only the median. Half of everyone in the group earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
| Pay level | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $43,390 |
| 25th percentile | $58,350 |
| Median | $78,760 |
| 75th percentile | $108,310 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $155,480 |
| Mean (average) | $89,490 |
US, all industries. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
Which BLS figure covers market research analyst roles?
BLS doesn’t publish a separate figure for market research analysts. They’re combined with marketing specialists in one occupation, market research analysts and marketing specialists (13-1161), so the numbers above describe both jobs together. That group also includes social, SEO, email and content specialists, which is why the same figures appear on our marketing specialist salary and marketing analyst salary pages.
Treat it as the closest official figure, not an exact one for research work. The figures cover employees only; the wage survey leaves out the self-employed, and some researchers work as independent consultants.
Where do market research analysts sit in the range?
It depends on how technical the research is. Analysts who design surveys, run segmentation or conjoint studies, and work in statistics software usually sit higher than people who mostly compile secondary research or summarize reports.
| Type of research work | Where it usually sits |
|---|---|
| Desk research, competitor summaries, report formatting | Lower part |
| Survey design, fieldwork management, tracking studies | Middle |
| Segmentation, pricing studies, advanced statistics | Upper middle |
| Insights lead who sets the research agenda for a brand or product | Upper part and above |
What does an entry-level market research analyst make?
Entry-level market research analysts usually start around the 25th percentile of the range above, then move up as they take on study design and client work. Common first titles are research assistant, junior analyst and insights associate. Roles at research agencies and in-house insights teams both hire at this level, so compare actual offers against the table. Starting low in the range is normal, and the step up comes from skills you can build on the job: designing a study yourself and presenting what it found.
What affects market research analyst pay?
Level and scope move pay more than anything else. After that:
- Employer type: research agencies, consulting firms and in-house insights teams at large brands pay differently. Compare the specific offer.
- Methods: quantitative skills (statistics, R or Python, experiment design) usually pay more than qualitative work alone, though strong qualitative researchers who run interviews well are hard to find.
- Influence: insights people who turn findings into decisions, such as a repositioning or a price change, move toward marketing manager pay.
- City: the state table below shows the spread.
Market research analyst salary by state
The median for market research analysts and marketing specialists varies a lot by state, mostly with the cost of living and where the employers are. The table runs from highest to lowest.
| State | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $101,810 |
| Delaware | $101,270 |
| New York | $98,580 |
| District of Columbia | $98,090 |
| Washington | $95,120 |
| California | $94,700 |
| Colorado | $93,050 |
| New Jersey | $88,190 |
| Minnesota | $87,510 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 |
| Oregon | $79,150 |
| Illinois | $79,120 |
| North Carolina | $78,410 |
| Connecticut | $77,740 |
| Virginia | $76,980 |
| Maryland | $76,370 |
| Georgia | $75,850 |
| Florida | $75,450 |
| Vermont | $74,880 |
| Ohio | $72,790 |
| Texas | $72,520 |
| Maine | $71,980 |
| Arizona | $71,940 |
| Nevada | $71,840 |
| Kansas | $70,430 |
| Missouri | $70,140 |
| Tennessee | $69,790 |
| South Carolina | $69,440 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,760 |
| Montana | $68,080 |
| Michigan | $66,780 |
| Alaska | $66,710 |
| Iowa | $66,390 |
| Arkansas | $65,430 |
| Wisconsin | $64,800 |
| New Hampshire | $64,570 |
| Indiana | $63,700 |
| South Dakota | $63,490 |
| Utah | $62,630 |
| New Mexico | $61,950 |
| Oklahoma | $61,940 |
| North Dakota | $61,580 |
| Kentucky | $61,480 |
| Wyoming | $60,990 |
| Idaho | $60,970 |
| Nebraska | $60,000 |
| Louisiana | $59,690 |
| Alabama | $59,530 |
| Hawaii | $59,390 |
| Mississippi | $56,640 |
| West Virginia | $52,340 |
Highest first. States BLS doesn't publish a median for are left out. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
How to use this in a salary negotiation
Use the range to anchor, not to argue. Find where the role sits: an entry-level coordinator belongs near the 25th percentile, a senior lead running a team and budget near the 75th or above. Then check the posting, since a growing number of states require employers to publish a pay range. If the posting’s range and the BLS range disagree, the posting wins: it’s the budget for this job. The BLS figure is still useful when there’s no range at all, or when you’re asked for your number first. Bringing up pay can feel awkward, but a number backed by public data is a normal, professional thing to discuss, and hiring managers expect the conversation. Put it in your own words and your own tone, say it once, then give them room to respond. Our salary negotiation guide covers what to say and when. Before your first call, write down your number and where it sits in the range above, so it’s ready when the question comes.
FAQ
Why does BLS combine market research analysts and marketing specialists?
BLS groups jobs by the kind of work, and it treats research and specialist marketing roles as one occupation. It doesn’t publish a split, so any figure that claims to be BLS data for market research analysts alone isn’t.
Is a market research analyst the same as a marketing analyst?
They overlap. Market research analysts usually study customers and markets through surveys and studies; marketing analysts usually measure campaigns and channels. BLS counts both in the same group.
What does a market research analyst do?
A market research analyst studies customers, competitors and markets to help a company make decisions: designing surveys, running interviews and focus groups, analyzing data and presenting what it means. The work feeds product, pricing and marketing plans.
How do I get into market research?
Learn survey design and basic statistics, then show a project: a small survey you designed, fielded and turned into a recommendation. Our guide on how to become a marketing analyst covers the related analytics path.