# 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. 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/market-research-analysts-and-marketing-specialists
- SOC code: 13-1161.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $78,760 (10th percentile $43,390, 90th percentile $155,480)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +7.0%
- Openings a year: 82,000
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 1 |
| Investigative (I) | 60 |
| Artistic (A) | 26 |
| Social (S) | 25 |
| Enterprising (E) | 75 |
| Conventional (C) | 60 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 98/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 95/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 91/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Processing Information (importance 84/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 81/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 76/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 76/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Writing, Speaking, Active Learning, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Mathematics, Monitoring

## Knowledge

English Language, Sales and Marketing, Administration and Management, Customer and Personal Service, Administrative, Mathematics, Computers and Electronics, Communications and Media, Sociology and Anthropology, Psychology

## Also called

Ad Analyst (Advertising Analyst), Business Development Analyst, Business Development Associate, Business Development Representative, Business Development Specialist, Communications Consultant, Communications Specialist, Content Strategist, Digital Marketing Specialist, Email Marketing Specialist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Marketing](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5214) (CIP 5214, 1,126 colleges)
- [Economics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4506) (CIP 4506, 925 colleges)
- [Data Analytics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/3071) (CIP 3071, 366 colleges)
- [Specialized Sales, Merchandising and  Marketing Operations](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5219) (CIP 5219, 189 colleges)
- [Apparel and Textiles](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1909) (CIP 1909, 135 colleges)
- Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services (CIP 1902, 29 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Williams College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/williams-college-3281) | Economics | $105,744 | $166,678 | $9,750 |
| [Duke University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/duke-university-837) | Economics | $124,433 | $161,149 | $13,000 |
| [Princeton University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/princeton-university-2154) | Economics | $108,471 | $160,763 | not reported |
| [University of Chicago](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-chicago-2895) | Economics | $98,564 | $159,578 | $12,500 |
| [Harvard University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/harvard-university-1157) | Economics | $120,683 | $155,592 | $14,000 |
| [Dartmouth College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/dartmouth-college-769) | Economics | $115,308 | $152,929 | $14,833 |
| [Claremont McKenna College CMC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/claremont-mckenna-college-cmc-557) | Economics | $99,125 | $146,524 | $11,750 |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Economics | $98,098 | $144,886 | $19,000 |

## Related careers

- [Marketing Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/marketing-managers): $166,790 median pay
- [Advertising and Promotions Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/advertising-and-promotions-managers): $133,660 median pay
- [Search Marketing Strategists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/search-marketing-strategists): $78,760 median pay
- [Business Intelligence Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/business-intelligence-analysts): $120,230 median pay
- [Management Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/management-analysts): $101,860 median pay
- [Sales Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sales-managers): $148,270 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.