Also called: Market Research Analysts
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists build complex problem solving, judgment and decision making and systems evaluation skills that carry over to other work. Below are 25 careers ranked by how closely their skills match, with pay from BLS May 2025. The closest match is Business Intelligence Analysts (92%).
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Sorted by skill match.
| # | Career | Skill match | Median pay | Pay change | Extra education |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Intelligence Analysts | 92% | $120,230Pay for the broader BLS group “Data Scientists” | Not compared | None |
| 2 | Marketing Managers | 90% | $166,790 | +112% | None |
| 3 | Advertising and Promotions Managers | 87% | $133,660 | +70% | None |
| 4 | Public Relations Managers | 85% | $146,910 | +87% | None |
| 5 | Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | 84% | $78,660 | 0% | None |
| 6 | Personal Financial Advisors | 84% | $105,070 | +33% | None |
| 7 | Sales Managers | 83% | $148,270 | +88% | None |
| 8 | Public Relations Specialists | 81% | $74,750 | −5% | None |
| 9 | Insurance Underwriters | 80% | $81,370 | +3% | None |
| 10 | Survey Researchers | 79% | $69,460 | −12% | Graduate degree |
Compared with Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, median $78,760. Skill match is our estimate (0–99) from O*NET 31.0 skills, knowledge, work activities and interests, adjusted for preparation and big pay drops. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025, national median.
How important each skill is in work as market research analysts and marketing specialists (O*NET importance, scale 1–5).
The gaps that show up most often across your top 10 matches.
Free and low-cost training: use the CareerOneStop training finder below.
A concrete first step, the skills to add, and the hard parts of each job, from O*NET 31.0 education, training and work context data.
92% skill match · $120,230 (broader BLS group)
Instructing · Quality Control Analysis · Programming
90% skill match · $166,790 · +112% pay
Negotiation · Management of Material Resources · Management of Financial Resources
87% skill match · $133,660 · +70% pay
Management of Financial Resources · Management of Material Resources · Negotiation
If you want to stay close to what you do now, these roles are the nearest.
The closest matches are Business Intelligence Analysts (92% skill match, median $120,230), Marketing Managers (90% skill match, median $166,790) and Advertising and Promotions Managers (87% skill match, median $133,660), based on O*NET 31.0 data and BLS May 2025 pay.
Among the 25 matches, 14 pay more than market research analysts and marketing specialists at the median. The biggest increases: Marketing Managers (+112%, $166,790), Financial Managers (+111%, $166,570) and Compensation and Benefits Managers (+89%, $149,230).
23 of the 25 matches usually need no more education than you have now, based on O*NET Job Zones. 2 usually need a graduate degree: Survey Researchers and Investment Fund Managers.
We compare the importance of skills, knowledge, work activities and interests in O*NET 31.0 for your job and every other career, then adjust for extra preparation and big pay drops. The full method is on our Methodology page.