Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 13-1161 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$78,770
$37.87/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists is $78,770 per year ($37.87/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $58,344 and $108,306 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $155,480 per year. There are approximately 899,580 market research analysts and marketing specialists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+6.7%
Faster than average
Annual openings
87K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
942K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
7% from new growth93% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
104K
$77,820
Management of Companies and Enterprises
NAICS 551100
74K
$99,850
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
NAICS 541500
46K
$101,030
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services
NAICS 541800
41K
$76,660
Software Publishers
NAICS 513200
23K
$128,200
Wage range across top 5 industries: $76,660 to $128,200 (67% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$20.86
$43,389
P25
$28.05
$58,344
P50MEDIAN
$37.87
$78,770
P75
$52.07
$108,306
P90
$74.75
$155,480
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · finance sector
Hot
Openings Rate
6.0%
Quits Rate
1.2%
Finance and Insurance openings surged to 428K (+98K) in March, pushing the openings rate to 6.0% -- the highest in any major sector. Quits ticked up to 1.2%. Demand for finance talent has reaccelerated sharply.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average market research analysts and marketing specialists salary?
The national median salary for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists is $78,770 per year ($37.87/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $58,344 and $108,306 annually.
How much do top-earning market research analysts and marketing specialists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists is $155,480 per year ($74.75/hr). The 75th percentile is $108,306 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for market research analysts and marketing specialists?
Entry-level Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (10th percentile) earn approximately $43,389 per year ($20.86/hr). The 25th percentile is $58,344 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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