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Boston Career Explorer

Business and Financial Operations

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

Research conditions in local, regional, national, or online markets. Gather information to determine potential sales of a product or service, or plan a marketing or advertising campaign. May gather information on competitors, prices, sales, and methods of marketing and distribution. May employ search marketing tactics, analyze web metrics, and develop recommendations to increase search engine ranking and visibility to target markets.

Also called: Business Development Specialist, Communications Consultant, Communications Specialist, Content Strategist, Market Analyst, Market Research Analyst

Median pay in Greater Boston
$102,390
$49.23/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
32,310
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.3%
3,450 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Bachelor's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$59,730$78,060$102,390$134,140$167,440

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Prepare reports of findings, illustrating data graphically and translating complex findings into written text.
  • Seek and provide information to help companies determine their position in the marketplace.
  • Conduct research on consumer opinions and marketing strategies, collaborating with marketing professionals, statisticians, pollsters, and other professionals.
  • Collect and analyze data on customer demographics, preferences, needs, and buying habits to identify potential markets and factors affecting product demand.
  • Devise and evaluate methods and procedures for collecting data, such as surveys, opinion polls, or questionnaires, or arrange to obtain existing data.
  • Gather data on competitors and analyze their prices, sales, and method of marketing and distribution.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure91 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 97
  • Language-model AIOE 90
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 87

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

Market research analysts and marketing specialists have higher AI exposure, and observed AI use in this work is substantial. AI tools can help with collecting and analyzing customer data, building charts, and drafting written reports. Deciding which questions matter, working with colleagues, and explaining what the findings mean for a company's position still rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing customer and sales data
  • Drafting reports and charts

Still relies on people

  • Deciding which research questions matter
  • Working with marketing teams and explaining findings

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

28 programs near Boston (plus 11 graduate)

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