Employment growth of market and survey researchers is projected to be faster than average. Bachelor's degree holders may face competition for employment in these occupations. Job opportunities should be best for jobseekers with a master's or Ph.D. degree in marketing or a related field and with strong quantitative skills.

Employment change. Employment of market and survey researchers is projected to grow 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than the average for all occupations. As companies seek to expand their market and as consumers become better informed, the need for marketing professionals will increase. In addition, globalization of the marketplace creates a need for more market and survey researchers to analyze foreign markets and competition.

Marketing research provides organizations valuable feedback from purchasers, allowing companies to evaluate consumer satisfaction and plan more effectively for the future. Survey researchers also will be needed to meet the growing demand for market and opinion research as an increasingly competitive economy requires businesses to allocate advertising funds more effectively and efficiently.

Job prospects. Bachelor's degree holders may face competition for jobs, as many positions, especially the more technical ones, require a master's or doctorate degree. Among bachelor's degree holders, those with good quantitative skills, including a strong background in mathematics, statistics, survey design, and computer science, will have the best opportunities. Job opportunities should be best for jobseekers with a master's or Ph.D. degree in marketing or a related field and with strong quantitative skills. Ph.D. holders in marketing and related fields should have a range of opportunities in many industries, especially in consulting firms. Like those in many other disciplines, however, Ph.D. holders probably will face keen competition for tenured teaching positions in colleges and universities.

Market research analysts should have the best opportunities in consulting firms and marketing research firms as companies find it more profitable to contract for market research services rather than support their own marketing department. However, other organizations, including computer systems design companies, software publishers, financial services organizations, health care institutions, advertising firms, and insurance companies, may also offer job opportunities for market research analysts. Increasingly, market research analysts not only collect and analyze information, but also help clients implement analysts' ideas and recommendations.

There will be fewer job opportunities for survey researchers since it is a relatively smaller occupation. The best prospects will come from growth in the market research and public opinion polling industry, which employs many survey researchers.

Market and survey researchers held about 261,000 jobs in 2006, most of which—234,000—were held by market research analysts. Because of the applicability of market research to many industries, market research analysts are employed throughout the economy. The industries that employ the largest number of market research analysts were management of companies and enterprises; management, scientific, and technical consulting services; insurance carriers; computer systems design and related services; and other professional, scientific, and technical services—which includes marketing research and public opinion polling.

Survey researchers held about 27,000 jobs in 2006. Survey researchers were employed primarily by firms in other professional, scientific, and technical services—which include market research and public opinion polling; scientific research and development services; and management, scientific, and technical consulting services. Colleges, universities, and professional schools also provided many jobs for survey researchers.

A number of market and survey researchers combine a full-time job in government, academia, or business with part-time consulting work in another setting. About seven percent of market and survey researchers are self-employed.

Besides holding the previously mentioned jobs, many people who do market and survey research work held faculty positions in colleges and universities. These workers are counted as postsecondary teachers rather than market and survey researchers.

For information about careers and certification in market research, contact:

• Marketing Research Association, 110 National Dr., Glastonbury, CT 06033. Internet: http://www.mra-net.org

For information about careers in survey research, contact:

• Council of American Survey Research Organizations, 170 North Country Rd., Suite 4, Port Jefferson, NY 11777. Internet: http://www.casro.org