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What is a market research consultant and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted expert
Heather Tanner Ph.D.

A market research consultant specializes in devising and recommending strategies to improve the marketing operations of a company. He/She performs extensive market research and analysis on market-related information to identify the market potential of a product or service. Also, he/she develops specific strategies and business plans for field force strategy, advertising effectiveness, frequency and reach of promotions, and negotiation support. Additionally, he/she makes recommendations from his/her findings that comply with the company's goals. Moreover, he/she may be required to participate in planning and creating marketing programs and content.

The market research consultant job requires you to have a bachelor's degree with at least two years of relevant professional experience. Candidates must know about business analytics, markets, statistics, and customer experience management. You must possess analytical, attention to detail, and communication skills. These professionals earn an average salary of $66,377 annually, which is $31.91 per hour. It ranges from $41,000 to $107,000.

What general advice would you give to a market research consultant?

Heather Tanner Ph.D.Heather Tanner Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, The Ohio State University

Most entry-level jobs have lots of boring elements, which is frustrating when you can't wait to jump in and tackle exciting challenges. However, it would help if you showed your immediate supervisor and the company/institution that you are a good team member, capable, and willing to take on tasks (challenging and boring). Routinely ask your supervisor for new jobs or projects to expand your skillset and knowledge of the company/institution. It would help if you also manage your expectations about how quickly you'll be promoted; it can be frustratingly slow. Finally, it's essential to recognize that you need to manage your reputation - this is a workplace where you need to be perceived as a responsible and competent professional. Therefore, only share information about your personal life and leisure time as if talking to your grandparents.
ScoreMarket Research ConsultantUS Average
Salary
6.6

Avg. Salary $85,073

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 14.53%

Black or African American 4.80%

Hispanic or Latino 11.41%

Unknown 4.90%

White 64.22%

Gender

female 46.92%

male 53.08%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress level
4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Market research consultant career paths

Key steps to become a market research consultant

  1. Explore market research consultant education requirements

    Most common market research consultant degrees

    Bachelor's

    68.0 %

    Master's

    23.7 %

    Associate

    3.1 %
  2. Start to develop specific market research consultant skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Client Facing16.92%
    Risk Management6.83%
    PowerPoint5.95%
    Project Management5.43%
    Financial Services4.35%
  3. Complete relevant market research consultant training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New market research consultants learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a market research consultant based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real market research consultant resumes.
  4. Research market research consultant duties and responsibilities

    • Manage existing client relationships and provide support during origination process which improve overall customer relations.
    • Develop and enhance existing SQL queries to complete business processes.
    • Deliver the results in interactive PowerPoint presentations and 'leave behind' custom reports.
    • Extract data from existing data stores using data query technology (SQL).
  5. Prepare your market research consultant resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your market research consultant resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a market research consultant resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable market research consultant resume templates

    Build a professional market research consultant resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your market research consultant resume.
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
    Market Research Consultant Resume
  6. Apply for market research consultant jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a market research consultant job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first market research consultant job

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Average market research consultant salary

The average market research consultant salary in the United States is $85,073 per year or $41 per hour. Market research consultant salaries range between $54,000 and $132,000 per year.

Average market research consultant salary
$85,073 Yearly
$40.90 hourly

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Market research consultant reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2023
Pros

If you have a computer and internet access, you have the equipment necessary to start an internet research business. There are no time constraints since the internet is always available. If you have a background in a research-based field such as journalism or library science, you will more easily be able to market your value to potential clients. Your business can be home-based or mobile. If working from home, you also should be able to deduct expenses for your home office when filing your taxes. You can expand your knowledge as you work. You can target broadly or specialize in specific areas such as market research, genealogy research, statistical research, etc. Your researching speed will increase as you become more familiar with online search tools and resources.

Cons

You may find it difficult to sell the value of your services to clients if you are unable to convince them that your background and experience have provided you with skills that go beyond run-of-the-mill internet searches. Establishing the business likely will require extensive networking, marketing, and self-promotion to build a client base. You have to be able to objectively evaluate information since not all information found on the internet is accurate. You need to have the skills and knowledge to go beyond basic Google or Bing searches. There are billions of pages of data that popular search engines don't reach, and you need to know how to find that data to be valuable to your clients. You have to be especially careful to avoid plagiarism and know how to cite your sources when gathering information online. You need to understand the different search operators and how to use them to find what you're looking for. You need to know what questions to ask your clients to get a clear understanding of what information they need.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2021
Pros

I juss have a passion to work as a market researcher I also did marketing

Cons

To be rejected


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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2019
Cons

Lots of sitting.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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