CareerFacts

All careers › Survey Researchers

Survey researcher: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$69,460median pay per year, or $33.40 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $39,260lowest 10% earn less
  2. $51,27025th percentile
  3. $69,460median
  4. $99,76075th percentile
  5. $130,860top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[2]

A survey researcher had a median pay of $69,460 a year, above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][2]. BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry education[3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-4.8%[5]
Openings per year
600[6]
Typical entry education
Master's degree[3]

How much do survey researchers make?

The median wage for survey researchers was $69,460 a year, or $33.40 an hour, in May 2025[1]. The average was $79,580 a year, or $38.26 an hour[7]. The median for all occupations was $50,980[2].

Pay varies a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,260, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $51,270[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $99,760, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $130,860[4]. In hourly terms, those boundaries run from $18.87 to $62.91[8].

A percentile is a boundary, and BLS publishes no starting salary[9]. These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses and benefits such as health insurance[10]. About 8,290 people held these jobs[11]. BLS also reports that 9.6% of survey researchers were self-employed in 2025[12].

Pay by state and city

Among the 30 states and DC with published data, Minnesota had the highest median at $104,220, followed by the District of Columbia at $102,390 and Michigan at $101,550[13]. Texas and Maine were last in that list, both at $47,330[13].

The most jobs were in California (1,180), Texas (680) and Maryland (390)[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont led on pay at $110,540, followed by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria at $97,780 and New York-Newark-Jersey City at $87,620[15]. The Washington area also had the most jobs, at 620, followed by Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim at 550[16].

Show median pay in 30 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
Minnesota[13]$104,220340
District of Columbia$102,390150
Michigan$101,550150
North Carolina$96,560350
New Jersey$95,580100
Wisconsin$92,66060
Colorado$89,870110
Connecticut$88,320110
New York$86,890380
Wyoming$84,36040
Maryland$84,030390
California$83,5201,180
Iowa$83,17090
Utah$79,09050
Massachusetts$74,890160
Alaska$70,56040
Washington$69,590130
Tennessee$66,900210
Missouri$66,460130
Oregon$64,660190
Nebraska$64,530210
Pennsylvania$63,310n/a
New Mexico$61,380130
Arizona$59,210n/a
Kansas$57,700210
Ohio$57,630320
Oklahoma$57,20050
Illinois$54,080320
Georgia$51,590n/a
Maine$47,33060
Texas$47,330680

How to become a survey researcher

BLS describes the typical path[3][17]:

The handbook says the master's degree can be in fields such as marketing, survey research, statistics or the social sciences[19]. It suggests coursework in research methods, survey methodology, computer science, math and statistics[20].

In an O*NET survey of 26 workers, 50% said a bachelor's degree is required and 38% said a master's degree[21]. Treat these as survey shares from a small group.

A license or certification is not required by law, but a certification can show professional competence[22]. O*NET places the job in Job Zone Five, which it describes as needing extensive preparation[23].

What survey researchers do

O*NET describes the work as planning, developing or conducting surveys, and it can include analyzing results and testing question wording[24]. Common tasks include:

Workers reported job titles such as survey methodologist, research scientist, data analyst and research interviewer[26].

Where they work

BLS lists research firms, polling organizations, nonprofits and corporations as places survey researchers work[27]. The largest employer group in 2025 was other professional, scientific, and technical services, at 28%[28]. Researchers who run interviews have frequent contact with the public, and some travel to meet clients or hold in-person sessions. For survey design and data analysis, they mostly work alone in an office, though some join teams[29].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,800 to 9,300 jobs[5]. All occupations together are projected to grow 3.5%[30]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

BLS still expects about 600 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to another occupation, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.7% of workers leave the labor force and 4.9% move to a different occupation[31].

BLS names one factor behind the decline. Data collection is increasingly done through mobile technology and automated methods[32].

Is it a good fit?

Pay is well above the all-occupations median, and the usual entry education is a master's degree[1][2][3]. The job is small and projected to shrink, though openings still come up each year[11][5][6]. The work involves analysis, client contact and project planning[25]. Related occupations in O*NET, such as data scientists and market research analysts, are projected to grow[33].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[33].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a survey researcher make an hour?
The median wage for survey researchers was $33.40 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $38.26 an hour[1][7].
What degree do you need to be a survey researcher?
BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry education, and says a bachelor's degree can be enough for some entry-level positions[3][17].
Is survey researcher a growing job?
BLS projects a decline of 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[5][30]. About 600 openings a year are still expected[6].
What is the highest paying state for survey researchers?
Minnesota had the highest median among states with published data, at $104,220[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Survey Researchers in the US was $69,460 per year and $33.40 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Survey Researchers: education needed for entry: Master's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Survey Researchers: 10th percentile $39,260, 25th percentile $51,270, 75th percentile $99,760, 90th percentile $130,860. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Survey Researchers is projected to decline 4.8% from 2025 to 2035, from about 9,800 to 9,300 jobs (a change of -500). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 600 openings for Survey Researchers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Survey Researchers was $79,580 per year and $38.26 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Survey Researchers: 10th percentile $18.87, 25th percentile $24.65, 75th percentile $47.96, 90th percentile $62.91. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 8,290 people were employed as Survey Researchers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS Employment Projections: 9.6% of Survey Researchers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  13. Median annual wage for Survey Researchers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Survey Researchers jobs: California 1,180; Texas 680; Maryland 390; New York 380; North Carolina 350. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Survey Researchers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $110,540; Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $97,780; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $87,620; Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY $86,890; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $83,520; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $74,890; Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN $70,400; Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $69,590. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Survey Researchers jobs: Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 620 (median $97,780); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 550 (median $83,520); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 310 (median $54,080); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 260 (median $37,500); Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 210 (median $86,890); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 190 (median $87,620). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Other Experience. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. O*NET 19-3022.00 survey of workers (26 respondents), education level they say is required: Bachelor's Degree 50%, Master's Degree 38% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. O*NET 19-3022.00: Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job. O*NET OnLine
  24. O*NET description of Survey Researchers. O*NET OnLine
  25. O*NET task list for Survey Researchers. O*NET OnLine
  26. O*NET 19-3022.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Data Analyst, Market Survey Representative, Research Associate, Research Fellow, Research Interviewer, Research Scientist, Survey Methodologist, Survey Researcher. O*NET OnLine
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of survey researchers in 2025: Other professional, scientific, and technical services 28%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  29. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  30. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  31. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Survey Researchers: 1.7% of workers leave the labor force each year and 4.9% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  32. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Survey Researchers: Productivity change - share decreases as data collection increasingly occurs via mobile technologies and automated techniques. BLS Employment Projections
  33. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.