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The differences between market research analysts and specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a market research analyst, becoming a specialist takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a specialist has an average salary of $58,013, which is higher than the $51,688 average annual salary of a market research analyst.
The top three skills for a market research analyst include powerpoint, data analysis and SPSS. The most important skills for a specialist are patients, customer service, and work ethic.
| Market Research Analyst | Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $51,688 | $58,013 |
| Hourly rate | $24.85 | $27.89 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 71,240 | 358,433 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
A market research analyst is an individual who studies the market conditions so that he/she or she can examine the potential sales of an organization's product or service. Market research analysts are required to devise and evaluate methods for collecting data such as surveys, focus groups, and opinion polls. They must interpret the data they have collected and presented their findings to executives and clients to help them make better-informed decisions. Market research analysts are also required to create visuals of industry trends and competitors so the company can predict how it fares in the marketplace.
Specialists are employees who are responsible for specific tasks or activities in the department they are assigned to. The actions or tasks they work on are related to their educational background or work experiences. They are usually highly skilled in specializations related to the work they are assigned to. Specialists are also highly trained on the competencies that are required of their specialty. As such, they are focused on the skills and competencies that are needed to enhance their experience in their specific field further.
Market research analysts and specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Market Research Analyst | Specialist | |
| Average salary | $51,688 | $58,013 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $73,000 | Between $32,000 And $104,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Imply | The Citadel |
| Best paying industry | Technology | - |
There are a few differences between a market research analyst and a specialist in terms of educational background:
| Market Research Analyst | Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between market research analysts' and specialists' demographics:
| Market Research Analyst | Specialist | |
| Average age | 37 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 51.2% Female, 48.8% | Male, 47.5% Female, 52.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 10.5% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 11% |