### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Survey Researchers Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            									
							
				                                                
                                            




            			survey researchers imageSurvey researchers meet with clients to determine appropriate survey methods.							
						Quick Facts:     Survey Researchers2023     Median Pay
            						$60,960     per year
										$29.31     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    Master's degreeWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    NoneNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    8,800Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    -4% (Decline)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    -300What Survey Researchers Do
                                                
                        
                        
Survey researchers design and conduct surveys and analyze data.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Most survey researchers work in research firms, polling organizations, nonprofits, corporations, colleges and universities, and government agencies. The majority work full time during regular business hours.
            
                                                How to Become a Survey Researcher
                                                
                        
Survey researchers typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation. However, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for some entry-level positions.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for survey researchers was $60,960 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of survey researchers is projected to decline							 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.
						Despite declining  employment, about 700 openings for survey researchers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for survey researchers.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of survey researchers with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about survey researchers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Survey Researchers Do 
            

			Survey researchersSurvey researchers often present their findings.			
Survey researchers design surveys and analyze data. Surveys are used to collect factual data, such as employment and salary information, or to ask questions in order to understand people’s opinions, preferences, beliefs, or desires.
Duties
Survey researchers typically do the following:
Conduct background research on survey topics
Plan and design surveys, and determine appropriate survey methods
Test surveys to make sure that people will understand the questions being asked
Coordinate the work of survey interviewers and data collectors
Account for and solve problems caused by nonresponse or other sampling issues
Analyze data, using statistical software and techniques
Summarize survey data, using tables, graphs, and fact sheets
Evaluate surveys, the methods underlying them, and their performance to improve future surveysSurvey researchers design and conduct surveys for different research purposes. Surveys for scientific research cover various topics, including government, health, social sciences, and education. For example, a survey researcher may try to capture information about the prevalence of drug use or disease.
Some survey researchers design public opinion surveys, which are intended to gather information about the attitudes and opinions of society or of a certain group. Surveys can cover a wide variety of topics, including politics, culture, the economy, or health.
Other survey researchers design marketing surveys which examine products or services that consumers want, need, or prefer. Researchers who collect and analyze market research data are known as market research analysts.
Survey researchers may conduct surveys in many different formats, such as interviews, questionnaires, and focus groups (in-person, small group sessions led by a facilitator). They use different methods to collect data, including the Internet, mail, and telephone and in-person interviews.
Some researchers use surveys to solicit the opinions of an entire population. The decennial census is an example of such a survey. Others use surveys to target a smaller group, such as a specific demographic group, residents of a particular state, or members of a political party.
Researchers survey a sample of the population and use statistics to make sure that the sample accurately represents the target population group. Researchers use a variety of statistical techniques and analytical software to plan surveys, adjust for errors in the data, and analyze the results.
Survey researchers sometimes supervise interviewers who collect survey data through in-person interviews or by telephone.
 Work Environment
			Survey researchersSurvey researchers often work alone, compiling results and analyzing data.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Survey researchers held about 8,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of survey researchers were as follows:
        Other professional, scientific, and technical services
                34%Scientific research and development services
                23Educational services; state, local, and private
                17Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                5Self-employed workers
                2Survey researchers work in research firms, polling organizations, nonprofits, and corporations.
Survey researchers who conduct interviews have frequent contact with the public. Some may work outside the office, traveling to meet with clients or conducting in-person interviews and focus group sessions. When designing surveys and analyzing data, they usually work alone in an office setting, although some work on teams with other researchers.
 How to Become a Survey Researcher

			Survey researchersMany research positions require a master's degree or Ph.D., though a bachelor's degree may be sufficient for some entry-level positions.			
Survey researchers typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation. However, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for some entry-level positions.
Education
Survey researchers typically need a master’s degree or Ph.D. The master’s degree may be in a variety of fields, including marketing or survey research, statistics, or social sciences. A bachelor’s degree is sufficient for some entry-level positions.
To prepare to enter this occupation, students should take courses in research methods, survey methodology, computer science, mathematics, and statistics. Many also may benefit from taking business courses, such as marketing and consumer behavior, and social science courses, such as psychology, sociology, and economics.
Other Experience
Prospective survey researchers can gain experience through internships or fellowships. Many businesses, research and polling firms, and marketing companies offer internships for college students or recent graduates who want to work in market and survey research. These opportunities, which provide valuable experience, can be very helpful toward getting a job.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
Although survey researchers are not required by law to be licensed or certified, certification can show a level of professional competence.
The Insights Association offers the Professional Researcher Certification for survey researchers. To qualify, candidates must have at least 3 years of experience working in opinion and marketing research, pass an exam, and be a member of a professional organization. Researchers must complete continuing education courses and apply for renewal every 2 years to maintain their certification.
Important Qualities
***Analytical skills.*** Survey researchers must be able to apply statistical techniques to large amounts of data and interpret the results correctly. They also should be proficient in the statistical software used to analyze data.
***Communication skills.*** Survey researchers need strong communication skills when conducting surveys and interpreting and presenting results to clients.
***Critical-thinking skills.*** Survey researchers must design or choose a survey and a survey method that together best capture the information needed. They must also be able to look at the data and draw reasonable conclusions from the results of the survey.
***Detail oriented.*** Survey researchers must pay attention to details, because survey results depend on collecting, analyzing, and reporting the data accurately.
***Problem-solving skills.*** Survey researchers need problem-solving skills when identifying survey design issues, adjusting survey questions, and interpreting survey results.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Survey ResearchersMedian annual wages, May 2023Social scientists and related workers$89,440  Survey researchers$60,960  Total, all occupations$48,060Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for survey researchers was $60,960 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,790, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $107,790.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for survey researchers in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Scientific research and development services
                $77,580Educational services; state, local, and private
                63,330Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations
                62,440Other professional, scientific, and technical services
                56,240
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
                Survey ResearchersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Social scientists and related workers5%  Total, all occupations3%  Survey researchers-4%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of survey researchers is projected to decline				 4 percent from 2022 to 2032.
			
			Despite declining  employment, about 700 openings for survey researchers are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 All of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Survey researchers will continue to be employed in marketing, research, and polling establishments to plan and design surveys and to analyze data. However, ongoing adoption of data mining—finding trends in large sets of existing data—and collecting information from social media sites are expected to lessen the need for some traditional survey methods, such as telephone and in-person interviews. The use of big data in market research will reduce the demand for survey researchers to gather survey information.
			

                        Employment projections data for     survey researchers, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Survey researchers**
			19-3022
			8,800
			8,400
			-4
			-300
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Survey researchers **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of survey researchers. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers**
            Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.
            Bachelor's degree
            $156,580**Advertising Sales Agents**
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            High school diploma or equivalent
            $61,270**Data Scientists**
            Data scientists use analytical tools and techniques to extract meaningful insights from data.
            Bachelor's degree
            $108,020**Economists**
            Economists conduct research, prepare reports, and evaluate issues related to monetary and fiscal policy. They also may collect and analyze statistical data.
            Master's degree
            $115,730**Market Research Analysts**
            Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service.
            Bachelor's degree
            $74,680**Mathematicians and Statisticians**
            Mathematicians and statisticians analyze data and apply computational techniques to solve problems.
            Master's degree
            $104,860**Operations Research Analysts**
            Operations research analysts use mathematics and logic to help solve complex issues.
            Bachelor's degree
            $83,640**Political Scientists**
            Political scientists study the origin, development, and operation of political systems.
            Master's degree
            $132,350**Project Management Specialists**
            Project management specialists coordinate the budget, schedule, staffing, and other details of a project.
            Bachelor's degree
            $98,580**Psychologists**
            Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how people relate to one another and to their environments.
            See How to Become One
            $92,740**Sociologists**
            Sociologists study society and social behavior.
            Master's degree
            $101,770
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about careers in survey research, visit
American Association for Public Opinion Research
Insights Association

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Survey Researchers
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Survey Researchers, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/survey-researchers.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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