Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Market research associate education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a market research associate. Market research associates usually study business, finance, or marketing. 65% of market research associates hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,652 real market research associate resumes to see exactly what market research associate education sections show.
The most common colleges for market research associates are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online market research associate courses to help get the education required to be a market research associate.
What education do you need to become a market research associate?
What degree do you need to be a market research associate?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 14%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Associate, 7%
- Other Degrees, 6%
What should I major in to become a market research associate?
Most common colleges for market research associates
| Market research associate common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 7.41% |
| University of Pennsylvania | 7.41% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 6.35% |
| Georgetown University | 5.82% |
| University of Phoenix | 5.82% |
Best majors for market research associates
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 21.6% |
| 2 | Finance | 12.6% |
| 3 | Marketing | 11.2% |
| 4 | Economics | 8.0% |
| 5 | Psychology | 5.5% |
Best colleges for market research associates
The best colleges for market research associates are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
A market research associate with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for market research associates. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become market research associates.
1. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
3. University of Wisconsin - Madison
Madison, WI • Private
In-state tuition
$10,555
Enrollment
30,360
4. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
5. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. Ball State University
Muncie, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,896
Enrollment
15,529
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
9. Howard University
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$26,756
Enrollment
6,166
10. Texas State University
San Marcos, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,280
Enrollment
34,187
20 best online courses for market research associates
Advertising disclosure
1. Data Analysis Immersive (Full-time)
Learn to problem solve, and effectively communicate, like an analyst. This course teaches you to use industry-standard tools to make ethical, data-driven decisions. Experience hands-on training to master SQL, Excel, Tableau, PowerBI, and Python – tools listed in virtually every data analytics job posting across industries...
2. Data Analytics (Part Time)
Harness Excel, SQL, and Tableau to drive powerful analysis and insights. Build confidence and credibility to apply this versatile skill set to countless jobs. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
3. Data Analyst
Use Python, SQL and Statistics to advance your programming skills and refine your ability to work with messy, complex datasets...
4. Marketing Analytics
Gain an in-depth understanding of Google Analytics and marketing analytics. Analyze data and build models with Excel, Data Studio, and create informative data visualizations with Tableau...
5. Market Research
"Finding the Story in the Data” is the most important emerging capability for market researchers according to GRIT (Greenbook Research Industry Trends) Report 2016. This specialization, designed for learners with no previous Marketing Research experience teaches a comprehensive marketing research approach that will help learners find and communicate the story in the data.\n\nStudents will learn how to initiate a research project for targeted business needs, conduct research through multiple...
6. Market Research
The Market Research Specialisation focuses on the essentials of research and the research process. This Specialisation will teach you how to use qualitative and quantitative research methods, how to develop and manage a questionnaire development strategy, how to develop measurements, how to collect data and how to analyze and present them.\n\nOnce you have completed this Specialisation, you will have a good understanding of market research including:\n\nEssentials of market research Components...
7. Market Research: Dekker's Complete Marketing Research Course
Competitor Analysis, Market Research Analysis, Marketing Analytics, Consumer Analytics, Conversion Rate Optimization...
8. Marketing Research: support your marketing decisions
Discover the extra advantage of any Business. A practical step by step guide to Marketing Information and Research...
9. Digital Marketing (Part Time)
Build confidence and capability to apply modern marketing strategies on the job. Drive growth with multichannel campaigns powered by data and customer insight. This course is offered in person and live online, in a remote classroom setting...
10. Intro to Data Analytics
Discover if data is a career fit for you Regardless of your industry or role, fluency in the language of data analytics will allow you to contribute to data driven decision making. In this free, two-hour livestream, you’ll learn to understand, analyze, and interpret data so you too can join the data conversation. We’ll cover how to ask the right questions of your data and basic analytic functionality. Then you’ll apply your new found data analytic skills to a real-world dataset, allowing you...
11. Data Structures and Algorithms
Get hands-on practice with over 80 data structures and algorithm exercises and guidance from a dedicated mentor to help prepare you for interviews and on-the-job scenarios...
12. Data Visualization
You will start by building data visualizations and dashboards, considering your audiences to be as effective as possible. Then, you’ll move into drafting presentations using storytelling techniques, visualizations, and animations to provide data-driven recommendations...
13. Market Research and Consumer Behavior
Your marketing quest begins here! The first course in this specialization lays the neccessary groundwork for an overall successful marketing strategy. It is separated into two sections: Market Research and Consumer Behavior. Gain the tools and techniques to translate a decision problem into a research question in the Market Research module. Learn how to design a research plan, analyze the data gathered and accurately interpret and communicate survey reports, translating the results into...
14. Qualitative Research
In this course, the second in the Market Research Specialization, you will go in-depth with qualitative market research methods, from design to implementation to analysis. Week 1: Define qualitative research and how it differs from quantitative research. Explore the various qualitative research methods and evaluate when and how to use them for your research project. Week 2: Design the qualitative instruments necessary for your interviews or focus groups, and plan your recruitment efforts. Write...
15. Global Marketing Research and Analytics
Understand and conduct market research on a global scale...
16. Market Research: A-Z Fundamentals with Case Studies
Learn Market Sizing & Forecasting, Survey Design, Customer & Competitor Analysis to become a PRO Market Research Analyst...
17. Digital Marketing
Gain real-world experience running live campaigns as you learn from top experts in the field. Launch your career with a 360-degree understanding of digital marketing...
18. Intro to Data Analysis
Start your data science journey right with this hands-on introduction to the discipline of data analysis. In this course you'll learn the 5 key stages of the data analysis process and apply them to real data sets using Python libraries NumPy, pandas, and Matplotlib...
19. Marketing Analytics: The Full Marketing Research Masterclass
#1 Course on Marketing Analytics: Become a marketing analytics & strategy expert...
20. Capital Markets Immersion: A Financial Markets Introduction
Capital Markets Financial Markets Financial Risk Financial Math Yield Curves Derivatives Swaps Options...
Top 10 most affordable universities for market research associates
The most affordable schools for market research associates are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and florida state university.
If the best universities for market research associates are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for market research associates.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
4. USF Sarasota-Manatee
Sarasota, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,587
Cost of attendance
13,043
5. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
8. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
9. Fashion Institute of Technology
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$5,740
Cost of attendance
17,864
10. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for market research associates
The hardest universities for market research associates to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.
Some great schools for market research associates are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for market research associates based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
6. Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
7. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,407
8. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
10. Boston College
Chestnut Hill, MA • Private
Admissions rate
28%
SAT average
1,429
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for market research associates
The easiest schools for market research associates to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, university of the incarnate word, and holy names university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a market research associate without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for market research associates.
1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
4. Notre Dame College
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
994
5. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
6. LIM College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
1,061
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
9. William Paterson University of New Jersey
Wayne, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
994
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average market research associate salary by education level
| Market research associate education level | Market research associate salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $118,621 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $102,285 |
| Doctorate Degree | $119,875 |
Market research associate education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for market research associate jobs
Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025