Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Salary in Boston, MA (2024)
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median of $95,930 per year ($46.12 per hour) based on 30,540 jobs counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. That is +24.7% against the national median of $76,950 for this occupation.
Pay distribution
The median is a single point on a wide curve. The table below shows where market research analysts and marketing specialists actually sit across the pay range in Boston, MA, from the bottom decile to the top.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $25.71 | $53,470 | |
| 25th percentile | $34.68 | $72,130 | |
| Median | $46.12 | $95,930 | half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $62.60 | $130,200 | |
| 90th percentile | $77.89 | $162,020 | |
| Average (mean) | $48.51 | $100,900 |
How Boston, MA compares
The local median of $95,930 runs +24.7% above the US median of $76,950 for this occupation; it pays 48.5% more than the metro-wide median across all jobs ($64,620); within the metro it ranks 172nd of 688 detailed occupations by median pay.
| Benchmark | Median annual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Boston, MA — this occupation | $95,930 | — |
| US median, same occupation (all areas) | $76,950 | +24.7% |
| Boston, MA — all occupations | $64,620 | +48.5% |
| Highest metro in the US for this job | $124,840 | -23.2% |
Boston, MA has an unusually deep bench in this occupation — the location quotient of 2.02 means the job is roughly 202% as common here as it is nationally, which usually reflects a specialised local industry cluster.
High confidence The relative standard error on this estimate is 1.7%, which is a tight margin — the figure is stable enough to plan around.
Ranked 172nd of 688 detailed occupations in the metro by median annual wage.
Highest-paying jobs in Boston, MA
To put $95,930 in context, these are the best-paid detailed occupations in the same metro area. This occupation sits 172nd.
| Occupation | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Neurologists | $228,070 | 180 |
| Physicians, Pathologists | $228,050 | 200 |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $221,710 | 430 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $219,380 | 7,670 |
| Pediatricians, General | $213,240 | 2,360 |
| Physicians, All Other | $212,030 | 6,650 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $207,150 | 22,280 |
| Marketing Managers | $200,010 | 11,440 |
| Lawyers | $194,740 | 18,900 |
| Astronomers | $189,430 | 60 |
Where market research analysts and marketing specialists earn the most
Across the 25 metro areas with released data for this occupation, medians run from $60,900 to $124,840. These are the top markets.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $124,840 | 23,560 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $102,390 | 19,720 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $97,360 | 75,190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $95,930 | 30,540 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $87,950 | 9,700 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $85,850 | 18,960 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $84,640 | 20,140 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $80,670 | 18,890 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $80,160 | 14,930 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $79,620 | 37,140 |
See the full national picture on the Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists salary by metro page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for market research analysts and marketing specialists in Boston, MA?
The median annual wage is $95,930, or $46 per hour. That means half of the market research analysts and marketing specialists working in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn more than this figure and half earn less. The average is $100,900.
What do the highest and lowest paid market research analysts and marketing specialists in Boston, MA earn?
The bottom 10% earn $53,470 or less, while the top 10% earn $162,020 or more — a spread of $108,550 between the two ends of the distribution. The middle half of workers sit between $72,130 and $130,200.
Is market research analysts and marketing specialists pay in Boston, MA above the local average?
Yes, it is 48.5% above the all-occupation median for the metro, which is $64,620. That comparison is the fairer one for judging local purchasing power, because it holds the metro's overall cost and wage level constant.
How does Boston, MA pay compare with the rest of the US for this job?
At $95,930 the metro median is 24.7% higher than the US median of $76,950 for market research analysts and marketing specialists. Across the 25 metro areas covered here, this occupation ranges from $60,900 to $124,840.
How many market research analysts and marketing specialists work in Boston, MA?
BLS counts about 30,540 people in this occupation in the metro area, or 11.28 jobs per 1,000 total jobs. Boston, MA has an unusually deep bench in this occupation — the location quotient of 2.02 means the job is roughly 202% as common here as it is nationally, which usually reflects a specialised local industry cluster.
About these figures
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for 2024 (employment relative standard error 3.2%). OEWS measures what employers pay, not what any individual earns; it excludes self-employed workers, and it does not adjust for local cost of living.
Read the full methodology, or the original data at bls.gov/oes.