Occupations · Life, Physical, and Social Science
Survey Researchers
Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 19-3022.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 158% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $96,710 | 530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,950 | 510 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $87,290 | 260 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $31,370 | 240 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $98,510 | 240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $83,000 | 220 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $88,570 | 170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $64,160 | 140 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA | $62,590 | 110 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $46,720 | 110 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $65,370 | 90 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $82,300 | 80 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Master's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Conduct surveys and collect data, using methods such as interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, market analysis surveys, public opinion polls, literature reviews, and file reviews.
- Prepare and present summaries and analyses of survey data, including tables, graphs, and fact sheets that describe survey techniques and results.
- Consult with clients to identify survey needs and specific requirements, such as special samples.
- Support, plan, and coordinate operations for single or multiple surveys.
- Determine and specify details of survey projects, including sources of information, procedures to be used, and the design of survey instruments and materials.
- Monitor and evaluate survey progress and performance, using sample disposition reports and response rate calculations.
- Collaborate with other researchers in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of surveys.
- Direct and review the work of staff members, including survey support staff and interviewers who gather survey data.
- Conduct research to gather information about survey topics.
- Direct updates and changes in survey implementation and methods.
- Produce documentation of the questionnaire development process, data collection methods, sampling designs, and decisions related to sample statistical weighting.
- Write proposals to win new projects.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Write proposals to win new projects.
O*NET 23.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 12 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 14
No longer listed 16
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| demographer | 2120.2 | broader |
| field survey manager | 3341.7 | broader |
| social work researcher | 2632.6.1 | broader |
| market research analyst | 2431.11 | broader |
| survey enumerator | 4227.2 | broader |
| market research interviewer | 4227.1 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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