How to become a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist

Official title: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Also called: Business Development Specialist, Communications Consultant, Communications Specialist, Content Strategist, Market Analyst, Market Research Analyst, Market Research Consultant, Market Research Specialist, Market Researcher, Marketing Research Coordinator

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.

Main tasks

• Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
• Seek and provide information to help companies determine their position in the marketplace.
• Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
• Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
• Devise and evaluate methods and procedures for collecting data, such as surveys, opinion polls, or questionnaires, or arrange to obtain existing data.
• Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of marketing and distribution.
• Measure and assess customer and employee satisfaction.
• Monitor industry statistics and follow trends in trade literature.

How to become one

Market research analysts typically need a bachelor's degree. Some employers require or prefer that job candidates have a master's degree.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

• Apprenticeship: Government Business Development Specialist.
• College: Business & Commerce degrees, Offered by 35 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• Median pay: $78,760 a year The middle half earn $58,350 to $108,310.
• About 952,700 people work in this job now, and about 1,019,000 are projected by 2035. (+7%)
• People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist?

Market research analysts typically need a bachelor's degree. Some employers require or prefer that job candidates have a master's degree.

How much does a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $78,760 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $58,350 to $108,310.

Is a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 7% by 2035, from about 952,700 to about 1,019,000 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist?

Usually. 81% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Market Research Analyst or Marketing Specialist?

People already use generative AI for a good share of this work, which usually changes the job more than it replaces it. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as high.

Sources

• Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

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.