Economists
Median $124,720
Occupation · SOC 19-3022
Survey Researchers: pay and where the jobs are
What survey researchers earn in the U.S., how pay varies across workers and states, and tools to plan around it.
National pay, May 2025
$69,460 median annual wage
- Mean (average) annual wage
- $79,580
- Median hourly wage
- $33.40
- Mean hourly wage
- $38.26
- Employment
- 8,290
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3022.
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See where your pay falls among survey researchers nationally and in your state. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
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Use these numbers
How much do survey researchers make?
The median annual wage for survey researchers was $69,460 in May 2025, so half of workers earned more and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $39,260 and the highest-paid 10% more than $130,860. As an hourly rate, the median is $33.40. About 8,290 people work in this occupation nationwide. The highest state medians are in Minnesota ($104,220), District of Columbia ($102,390) and Michigan ($101,550). After taxes and local prices, though, a median paycheck goes furthest in Michigan.
Pay ladder
What each step of the pay range for survey researchers looks like per month. Take-home here includes federal tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer; add your state in the paycheck calculator.
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Monthly gross | Monthly after federal tax & FICA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,260 | $18.87 | $3,272 | $2,810 |
| 25th percentile | $51,270 | $24.65 | $4,273 | $3,615 |
| Median | $69,460 | $33.40 | $5,788 | $4,808 |
| 75th percentile | $99,760 | $47.96 | $8,313 | $6,584 |
| 90th percentile | $130,860 | $62.91 | $10,905 | $8,392 |
Survey Researchers: pay by state
31 states and territories have a published median, sorted from highest to lowest. The last two columns are our estimates: the median after 2026 federal and state taxes, and that take-home restated in national-average prices.
1
$79,201 take-home in national prices
2
$77,832 take-home in national prices
3
$77,191 take-home in national prices
Where a median survey researcher paycheck goes furthest after 2026 taxes and BEA price levels.
| State | Employment | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Median after tax* | In national prices† |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 340 | $104,220 | $55,420 | $124,140 | $76,127 | $77,191 |
| District of Columbia | 150 | $102,390 | $79,040 | $217,080 | $75,127 | $68,359 |
| Michigan | 150 | $101,550 | $57,050 | $155,830 | $76,205 | $79,201 |
| North Carolina | 350 | $96,560 | $53,680 | $171,270 | $73,416 | $77,832 |
| New Jersey | 100 | $95,580 | $54,900 | $190,360 | $71,580 | $65,788 |
| Wisconsin | 60 | $92,660 | $66,800 | $125,410 | $70,024 | $74,419 |
| Colorado | 110 | $89,870 | $47,600 | $145,040 | $68,412 | $66,386 |
| Connecticut | 110 | $88,320 | $56,800 | $129,980 | $66,414 | $64,100 |
| New York | 380 | $86,890 | $60,890 | $127,820 | $65,455 | $60,651 |
| Wyoming | 40 | $84,360 | $55,940 | $108,300 | $68,177 | $73,553 |
| Maryland | 390 | $84,030 | $44,730 | $135,520 | $64,320 | $61,281 |
| California | 1,180 | $83,520 | $52,110 | $171,640 | $62,978 | $56,881 |
| Iowa | 90 | $83,170 | $74,350 | $93,950 | $64,831 | $73,872 |
| Utah | 50 | $79,090 | $51,160 | $175,100 | $61,125 | $61,827 |
| Massachusetts | 160 | $74,890 | $43,730 | $90,780 | $57,646 | $54,508 |
| Alaska | 40 | $70,560 | $63,490 | $89,230 | $58,198 | $56,857 |
| Washington | 130 | $69,590 | $48,760 | $97,150 | $56,821 | $53,098 |
| Tennessee | 210 | $66,900 | $45,760 | $97,380 | $55,894 | $60,840 |
| Missouri | 130 | $66,460 | $29,270 | $97,990 | $53,394 | $58,793 |
| Oregon | 190 | $64,660 | $57,270 | $107,290 | $49,413 | $47,807 |
| Nebraska | 210 | $64,530 | $33,070 | $83,540 | $51,973 | $57,682 |
| Pennsylvania | Not published | $63,310 | $18,180 | $82,930 | $51,062 | $52,332 |
| New Mexico | 130 | $61,380 | $52,270 | $80,450 | $49,780 | $53,984 |
| Arizona | Not published | $59,210 | $46,930 | $142,980 | $48,669 | $48,341 |
| Kansas | 210 | $57,700 | $33,730 | $79,080 | $46,122 | $51,208 |
| Ohio | 320 | $57,630 | $36,130 | $112,490 | $47,344 | $51,032 |
| Oklahoma | 50 | $57,200 | $44,490 | $84,640 | $46,112 | $52,493 |
| Illinois | 320 | $54,080 | $42,750 | $135,730 | $43,101 | $43,119 |
| Georgia | Not published | $51,590 | $41,780 | $92,800 | $41,807 | $43,416 |
| Maine | 60 | $47,330 | $35,820 | $77,880 | $38,446 | $39,614 |
| Texas | 680 | $47,330 | $26,040 | $82,060 | $40,210 | $41,429 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (released 2026-05-15), SOC 19-3022. *Our estimate for a single filer paid biweekly with no pre-tax deductions or local tax, 2026 federal and state rules. †Take-home ÷ BEA Regional Price Parity × 100 (2024 price levels).
Sources
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25nat.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.
- OEWS May 2025 (oesm25st.zip) — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Accessed 2026-10-09.