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The differences between market research consultants and research leaders can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a market research consultant and a research leader. Additionally, a research leader has an average salary of $107,345, which is higher than the $85,073 average annual salary of a market research consultant.
The top three skills for a market research consultant include client facing, risk management and powerpoint. The most important skills for a research leader are data collection, data analysis, and market research.
| Market Research Consultant | Research Leader | |
| Yearly salary | $85,073 | $107,345 |
| Hourly rate | $40.90 | $51.61 |
| Growth rate | 19% | 19% |
| Number of jobs | 76,424 | 77,051 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
A market research consultant specializes in developing and recommending strategies to optimize a company's marketing operations. They perform extensive market research and analysis, gather and analyze client feedback, spearhead surveys and studies to determine how the current marketing projects affect the consumers, and develop social media techniques to raise brand awareness and public interest. Using their research findings, a market research consultant develops conclusions and recommendations that adhere to the company's goals. Moreover, there are instances when a market research consultant participates in planning and creating marketing programs and materials.
Research Leaders are academicians who oversee a group of researchers conducting a study. They are usually well-known researchers in their field of study or area of interest. They manage the group throughout the whole research process. They may orient them at the start of the engagement to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Research Leaders direct the group in identifying the resources needed, finding these resources, and eventually managing them. They also guide the team in conducting the research properly by providing strategic direction, sharing techniques, and helping them analyze the gathered data. With their experience in the field, Research Leaders usually provide frameworks that the team may work within.
Market research consultants and research leaders have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Market Research Consultant | Research Leader | |
| Average salary | $85,073 | $107,345 |
| Salary range | Between $54,000 And $132,000 | Between $64,000 And $178,000 |
| Highest paying City | Renton, WA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Washington | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Invesco | Meta |
| Best paying industry | - | Pharmaceutical |
There are a few differences between a market research consultant and a research leader in terms of educational background:
| Market Research Consultant | Research Leader | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Psychology |
| Most common college | University of Georgia | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between market research consultants' and research leaders' demographics:
| Market Research Consultant | Research Leader | |
| Average age | 37 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 53.1% Female, 46.9% | Male, 56.4% Female, 43.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 14.5% White, 64.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% | Black or African American, 4.8% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 11.3% Asian, 14.3% White, 64.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |