# Survey Researchers

> Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/survey-researchers
- SOC code: 19-3022.00
- Career family: Science
- Median annual pay: $69,460 (10th percentile $39,260, 90th percentile $130,860)
- Projected growth: Decline, -4.8%
- Openings a year: 600
- Typical entry education: Master's degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ICE)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 11 |
| Investigative (I) | 85 |
| Artistic (A) | 22 |
| Social (S) | 22 |
| Enterprising (E) | 34 |
| Conventional (C) | 71 |

## What you'd do

- Working with Computers (importance 94/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 92/100)
- Processing Information (importance 92/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 85/100)
- Getting Information (importance 83/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 83/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 81/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 80/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 78/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 77/100)

## Skills

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

## Knowledge

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

## Also called

Analytic Methodologist, Bilingual Field Interviewer, Data Analyst, Data Collection Specialist, Data Collector, Evaluation Analyst, Field Collector, Field Data Collector, Field Interviewer, Field Representative

## 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)
- [Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5213) (CIP 5213, 631 colleges)
- [Social Sciences, General](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4501) (CIP 4501, 547 colleges)
- [Statistics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/2705) (CIP 2705, 290 colleges)
- [Business/Managerial Economics](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5206) (CIP 5206, 258 colleges)
- [Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/1306) (CIP 1306, 166 colleges)
- Applied Statistics (CIP 2706, 39 colleges)

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

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Harvard University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/harvard-university-1157) | Statistics | not reported | $230,876 | not reported |
| [Williams College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/williams-college-3281) | Economics | $105,744 | $166,678 | $9,750 |
| [Washington University in St Louis WUSTL](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-university-in-st-louis-wustl-3172) | Business/Managerial Economics | $102,081 | $162,355 | not reported |
| [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 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods | $111,101 | $158,559 | $13,250 |
| [Carnegie Mellon University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/carnegie-mellon-university-406) | Statistics | $116,208 | $156,743 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Data Scientists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/data-scientists): $120,230 median pay
- [Social Science Research Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-science-research-assistants): $61,990 median pay
- [Management Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/management-analysts): $101,860 median pay
- [Statistical Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/statistical-assistants): $50,330 median pay
- [Statisticians](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/statisticians): $105,650 median pay
- [Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/market-research-analysts-and-marketing-specialists): $78,760 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.