6 templates with salary, FLSA, and a hire-vs-outsource guide. Download as DOCX.
Most market research analyst templates online hand you a generic duties list and stop there, skipping the two questions that actually matter when you make this hire: whether a company your size should hire a full-time analyst at all, and how to classify the role under the FLSA. The role is real and large, but it is overwhelmingly an enterprise hire, so for a smaller team the first honest question is hire versus outsource.
At FirstHR, we build templates for the teams making these decisions directly, which means being straight about fit. The six templates below cover the role by seniority and setting, including agency and first-hire versions, each with the FLSA and hire-versus-outsource guidance built in.
TL;DR
Six free templates: Standard, Junior, Senior, Specialist, Agency (billable), and First / Only Hire. Two things competitors skip, both built in: an honest hire-vs-outsource decision aid (most small teams should outsource) and an FLSA note (usually exempt, but research-firm analysts can be non-exempt). Pay anchor: $76,950 median (BLS, May 2024).
What Does a Market Research Analyst Do?
A market research analyst gathers and analyzes data on customers, competitors, and market conditions to guide decisions, designing surveys and studies, analyzing data, tracking trends, and presenting recommendations. The role maps to market research analysts and marketing specialists (SOC 13-1161), defined federally as studying consumer preferences and business conditions to assess potential sales.
For the employer writing the posting, two facts shape the hire: the role spans several seniority levels, from junior to senior and specialist, and it is overwhelmingly an enterprise and mid-market job, which makes the hire-versus-outsource question central for a smaller team. The six templates split by level and setting so the document matches the real role.
Hire In-House or Outsource?
Before writing the posting, decide whether you should hire at all. A full-time analyst is mostly an enterprise hire because of cost and volume. For most teams of 5 to 50 people, outsourcing to a freelancer or agency, or using DIY tools, is the better economic call until research becomes a steady, high-volume need.
Best when
Hire in-house: You run many research projects a year
Outsource: You need research occasionally
Cost shape
Hire in-house: Fully loaded $150k-$175k a year (salary, benefits, tools)
Outsource: Per project, or roughly $25-$70 an hour for freelancers
Breakeven
Hire in-house: Clearly cheaper above 8-12 projects a year
Outsource: Cheaper below that volume
Who fits
Hire in-house: Agencies, funded startups, mid-size and larger firms
Outsource: Most small teams of 5-50 people
Tradeoff
Hire in-house: Deep context, always available, fixed cost
Outsource: Flexible, no overhead, less embedded
If your research volume is not yet high and steady, outsourcing usually wins, and you can hire later as the need grows.
Market Research Analyst Duties and Responsibilities
Market research analyst duties cluster into research design, data and analysis, competitive insight, and reporting. The emphasis shifts by level, more methodology design for a senior analyst, more support work for a junior, but these areas hold across the role.
Research design
Design and field surveys and interviews
Run focus groups and polls
Plan samples and methodology
Data and analysis
Collect and analyze quantitative data
Synthesize qualitative research
Monitor and forecast trends
Competitive insight
Track competitors and pricing
Run SWOT and market analysis
Assess demand and positioning
Reporting
Build charts and dashboards
Translate data into recommendations
Present findings to stakeholders
A strong posting grounds these in your specifics: your market, your tools, your customers, and your reporting line.
Which Template Should You Use?
Pick the template by seniority and setting. Most are in-house roles; the agency version is for a research firm where the work is billable, and the first-hire version is for a small team building the function. Use this guide to choose.
Standard Analyst
Core in-house role
The universal version: design research, analyze data, track competitors, and turn findings into recommendations.
Junior / Entry-Level
Will learn the craft
An entry role: build surveys, clean and analyze data, and prepare reports while learning from senior analysts.
Senior Analyst
Leads projects and strategy
For experienced work: lead projects end to end, run advanced analysis, advise leadership, and mentor juniors.
Research Specialist
Focused area
Owns a specific area such as customer insights or competitive intelligence, running studies and delivering findings.
Agency / Billable
Research is the product
For a research or marketing agency: deliver client studies as billable work, with a note on the FLSA production nuance.
First / Only Hire
Small team, many hats
For a small team's first insights hire: build the function from zero and own research across the board.
Match the Template to the Hire
Core in-house role: Standard. Entry-level: Junior. Experienced, leads projects: Senior. Focused area: Specialist. Research or marketing agency: Agency (note the FLSA production nuance). Small team's first insights hire: First / Only Hire. Confirm the FLSA classification by the actual duties in each case.
6 Free Market Research Analyst Job Description Templates
Download all six as a single Word document or copy individual templates. Each follows the same structure: company and role summary, key responsibilities, qualifications, the FLSA note, reporting line, and pay, with an EEO statement. Fill in the brackets and post.
Download All 6 Templates
Standard, junior, senior, specialist, agency, and first hire. All in one DOCX.
Template 1: Standard Market Research Analyst
The universal version: design research, analyze data, track competitors, and turn findings into recommendations.
Standard Market Research Analyst Job Description
MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State] / Remote)
Department: Marketing / Insights
Reports to: [Marketing Manager / Insights Lead]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: Exempt (administrative; confirm by duties and salary)
Salary range: $_ - $_
ABOUT [COMPANY NAME]
[One or two sentences: your company, your market, and the team this
role joins.]
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Market Research Analyst to gather and analyze
data on customers, competitors, and market conditions. You will design
research, turn data into insight, and give the team clear, actionable
recommendations.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Design and field surveys, interviews, and focus groups
•Collect and analyze quantitative and qualitative data
•Monitor and forecast market and sales trends
•Run competitive and SWOT analysis
•Build charts, dashboards, and reports
•Translate findings into clear recommendations
•Present insights to stakeholders
•Maintain clean, well-documented data
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[Bachelor's in marketing, business, economics, statistics, or related]
•[2+] years in market research or analytics
•Strong quantitative and statistical skills
•Experience with survey tools and data visualization
•Clear writing and presentation skills
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Skills in SQL, R, SPSS, Tableau, or Power BI
•Experience in [your industry]
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_ - $_ [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Template 2: Junior / Entry-Level Market Research Analyst
An entry role: build surveys, clean and analyze data, and prepare reports while learning from senior analysts.
Junior / Entry-Level Market Research Analyst Job Description
JUNIOR MARKET RESEARCH ANALYST JOB DESCRIPTION
Company: __ ([City, State] / Remote)
Department: Marketing / Insights
Reports to: [Senior Analyst / Insights Manager]
Employment type: Full-time, W-2 employee
FLSA status: [Confirm by duties and salary; entry roles can be non-exempt]
Salary range: $_ - $_
POSITION SUMMARY
[Company Name] is hiring a Junior Market Research Analyst to support our
research work. This is an entry-level role: you will help build surveys,
clean and analyze data, and prepare reports while learning the craft
from senior analysts.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
•Help design and field surveys and questionnaires
•Clean, organize, and analyze data sets
•Conduct secondary research and literature reviews
•Build charts and pull data for reports
•Support competitive and trend analysis
•Help prepare presentations of findings
•Maintain accurate research records
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
•[Bachelor's in marketing, statistics, business, or related]
•[0-2] years of experience or relevant internship
•Comfort with spreadsheets and basic statistics
•Attention to detail and a willingness to learn
•Clear written and verbal communication
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
•Coursework or exposure to SQL, R, or survey tools
•Internship in research or analytics
COMPENSATION AND HOW TO APPLY
Salary range: $_ - $_ [+ benefits]
To apply, email __ with your resume.
[Company Name] is an equal opportunity employer.
Still Using Spreadsheets for Onboarding?
Automate documents, training assignments, task management, and track onboarding progress in real time.
Most analyst roles weigh quantitative skill, research design, and communication alongside a typical bachelor's in marketing, statistics, or a related field. List what is truly required separately from what is preferred, and weigh a work sample over a specific degree.
Type
What to look for
Core skills
Statistics, survey design, data analysis
Tools
SQL, R, SPSS, Tableau, Power BI, Excel
Research
Survey platforms, focus groups, secondary research
Education
Bachelor's in marketing, business, or statistics (typical)
This is the classification question competitors skip, and it usually has a clear answer with one genuinely useful exception for research firms.
Usually Exempt, with a Research-Firm Exception
A market research analyst is generally exempt under the FLSA administrative exemption: the primary duty is office or non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations, with discretion and independent judgment, and research is a recognized functional area. The role must also be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year). The exception: DOL guidance has found that an analyst whose primary duty is producing the employer's core deliverable, for example at a market-research firm where the research is the product sold to clients, can be doing production work and may be non-exempt. Senior analysts may instead qualify under the highly compensated employee exemption. Review DOL Fact Sheet 17C and classify by the actual duties.
Classify an in-house analyst as exempt where duties and salary support it, and look harder at an agency or production role. This is general information, not legal advice; confirm with an employment attorney, since some states set a higher salary floor than the federal level.
Market Research Analyst Pay
Pay varies by experience, region, industry, and employer, and the spread within the role is wide.
Market Research Analyst Pay Anchor (BLS)
Market research analysts had a median annual wage of $76,950 in May 2024 (about $37.00 per hour), with the lowest 10 percent under about $42,070 a year and the highest 10 percent over about $144,610 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The range reflects the jump from a junior analyst to a senior analyst or specialist, plus differences by industry.
Set your range using current market data for your region and the seniority level, rather than the occupation-wide median alone. If you are weighing a hire against outsourcing, remember the fully loaded cost of an in-house analyst runs higher than base pay, roughly $150,000 to $175,000 a year with benefits and software. The field is growing: BLS projects employment of market research analysts to grow about 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 87,200 openings a year.
Hiring a Market Research Analyst for a Small Team
A large company has the research volume and budget to justify a full-time analyst inside an insights department. A small team is in a different position, and faces three things most templates skip: whether to hire or outsource, the FLSA classification, and the data-privacy obligations that come with consumer research. Here is how to handle them.
Most teams of 5-50 outsource market research rather than hire a full-time analyst
A dedicated, full-time market research analyst is overwhelmingly an enterprise and mid-market hire, concentrated in consulting, finance, information services, and large consumer brands, not a typical small-business role. The reason is volume and cost. A fully loaded in-house analyst runs roughly $150,000 to $175,000 a year once you add benefits and software, so the hire only pays off when you run enough research to keep them busy, generally somewhere above 8 to 12 projects a year. Most companies of 5 to 50 people do not run that many, so the math favors outsourcing to a freelancer or agency, often in the range of $25 to $70 an hour, or using DIY survey tools. The honest guidance is to outsource until your research volume is steady and high, then hire. The two genuine small-team exceptions are a research or marketing agency where the analyst is billable client work, and a funded startup making its first insights hire, which is why the agency and first-hire templates on this page exist.
The role is usually exempt, but research-firm analysts can fail the test
A market research analyst is generally exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act administrative exemption, which is a detail most templates skip. The administrative exemption applies when the primary duty is office or non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations, plus the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance, and research is one of the functional areas the Department of Labor lists. An in-house analyst informing the company's own decisions fits that well, and the role must also be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year) to qualify. There is an important nuance, though, that no competitor covers: DOL guidance has found that an analyst whose primary duty is producing the employer's core deliverable, for example at a market-research firm where the research itself is the product sold to clients, can be doing production work rather than administrative work, and may FAIL the administrative test and be non-exempt. That is why the agency template here flags the classification rather than assuming exempt. Classify by the actual primary duties, not the title, and note that senior analysts may instead qualify under the highly compensated employee exemption.
Market research means handling consumer data, so privacy and confidentiality matter from day one
Market research runs on data about real people and on proprietary findings, so a new analyst needs clear rules on privacy and confidentiality before they touch a data set. Consumer research can fall under data-privacy laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act depending on what you collect and where your respondents live, and proprietary research, client data, and methodology are valuable enough to protect with a confidentiality or NDA agreement, especially at an agency. The practical step is to build this into onboarding: have the analyst sign confidentiality and data-handling policies, set expectations on how respondent and client data is collected, stored, and disposed of, and document the agreements. FirstHR supports the people-process side of this hire: e-signature for the offer letter, NDA, and policy acknowledgments, document management to store signed confidentiality and data-handling agreements, onboarding workflows and an AI onboarding wizard to set tool access and expectations, training modules for data-handling orientation, and an HRIS with an employee database and org chart. FirstHR does not run payroll, administer benefits, or provide legal advice, so pair it with your payroll provider and an attorney for privacy and IP specifics. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
After You Hire: Onboarding a Market Research Analyst
Once the offer is accepted, onboarding centers on access, tools, and data responsibility, because the role handles consumer and sometimes proprietary data from day one. Send the offer letter stating the classification and salary, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 and tax forms as part of the new hire paperwork, and have them sign confidentiality, data-handling, and any NDA policies.
Then set up what they need to do the work: access to survey and analytics tools, the data sources and past research, and an introduction to the team and stakeholders, with signed onboarding documents kept in one place.
FirstHR supports the people side of this hire: e-signature for the offer letter, NDA, and policy acknowledgments, document management to store signed confidentiality and data-handling agreements, onboarding workflows and an AI onboarding wizard for the first weeks, training modules for data-handling orientation, and an HRIS with an org chart and employee database. FirstHR does not run payroll, administer benefits, or provide legal advice, so connect your payroll and benefits providers and an attorney for privacy and IP specifics. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
Key Takeaways
A market research analyst gathers and analyzes data on customers, competitors, and markets, then turns it into recommendations; the role maps to SOC 13-1161.
Most teams of 5-50 should outsource rather than hire: a fully loaded analyst runs $150k-$175k a year, justified only above roughly 8-12 projects annually.
The role is usually exempt under the FLSA administrative exemption, but a production analyst at a research firm whose work is the product can be non-exempt.
Agencies and funded startups are the genuine small-team exceptions, which is why this page includes agency and first-hire templates.
Pay anchor: $76,950 median (BLS, May 2024), ranging widely from about $42,070 to over $144,610 by level and industry.
Market research handles consumer and sometimes proprietary data, so build privacy, confidentiality, and NDA expectations into onboarding.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a market research analyst do?
A market research analyst gathers and analyzes data on customers, competitors, and market conditions to help a company make decisions. The core work includes designing and fielding surveys, interviews, focus groups, and polls, collecting and analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data, monitoring and forecasting market and sales trends, running competitive and SWOT analysis, building charts and dashboards, and presenting clear recommendations to stakeholders. In federal data, the role falls under market research analysts and marketing specialists (SOC 13-1161), and the Bureau of Labor Statistics describes them as studying consumer preferences and business conditions to assess the potential sales of a product or service. The work blends statistics and research methods with communication and storytelling, since the analyst has to turn data into insight that non-experts can act on. The templates on this page split by seniority and setting, from a junior analyst to a senior analyst, an agency role, and a small team's first hire, so the description matches the exact role you are hiring.
Should a small business hire a market research analyst or outsource?
Most companies of 5 to 50 people should outsource rather than hire a full-time analyst, because the economics rarely favor a dedicated hire at that scale. A fully loaded in-house analyst costs roughly $150,000 to $175,000 a year once you add benefits and software, so the hire only pays off when you run enough research to keep them busy, generally above 8 to 12 projects a year. Most small teams do not, which is why outsourcing to a freelancer or agency, often around $25 to $70 an hour, or using DIY survey tools, usually wins until research becomes a steady, high-volume need. The honest rule is to outsource first and hire once your project volume is consistently high. There are two genuine small-team exceptions: a research or marketing agency where the analyst is billable client work, and a funded startup making its first insights hire. The agency and first-hire templates on this page are written for exactly those cases.
Is a market research analyst exempt or non-exempt under the FLSA?
A market research analyst is generally exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act administrative exemption, meaning salaried and not entitled to overtime, but the classification is fact-specific and there is an important exception. The administrative exemption applies when the primary duty is office or non-manual work directly related to management or general business operations and includes the exercise of discretion and independent judgment on matters of significance, and research is one of the functional areas the Department of Labor recognizes. An in-house analyst informing the company's own decisions fits that, and must also be paid on a salary basis of at least $684 per week ($35,568 per year). The exception competitors never mention: DOL guidance has found that an analyst whose primary duty is producing the employer's core product, for instance at a market-research firm where the research itself is sold to clients, can be doing production rather than administrative work and may be non-exempt. Senior analysts may instead qualify under the highly compensated employee exemption. Classify by the actual duties, not the title, and check state rules, which can set a higher threshold.
What is the difference between a market research analyst and a marketing analyst?
The roles overlap and are sometimes used interchangeably, but they have a difference in focus. A market research analyst studies the broader market: customers, competitors, demand, and conditions, using surveys, focus groups, and secondary research to answer questions like who the customer is and what they want. A marketing analyst focuses more narrowly on the performance of marketing itself: campaign results, channel metrics, conversion, and return on marketing spend, usually working with analytics platforms and internal data. In federal data both relate to SOC 13-1161, market research analysts and marketing specialists, which groups them together, so the line is not sharp. In practice, market research leans toward understanding the market and the customer, while marketing analytics leans toward measuring and optimizing marketing activity. For hiring, pick the title that matches the questions you most need answered, and write the responsibilities accordingly rather than relying on the label alone.
How much does a market research analyst make?
Pay varies by experience, region, industry, and employer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, market research analysts had a median annual wage of $76,950 in May 2024, which is about $37.00 per hour. The range is wide: the lowest 10 percent earned under about $42,070 a year and the highest 10 percent earned over about $144,610, reflecting the jump from a junior analyst to a senior analyst or specialist, plus differences by industry, with consulting, finance, and information services among the higher-paying employers. Because the role is salaried and typically exempt, you should set your range using current market data for your region and the seniority level you are hiring, rather than the occupation-wide median alone. If you are weighing a hire against outsourcing, remember the fully loaded cost of an in-house analyst, salary plus benefits and software, runs higher than base pay, roughly $150,000 to $175,000 a year, which is part of the hire-versus-outsource decision for a small team.
What skills should a market research analyst have?
Strong market research analysts combine quantitative skill, research design, and communication. On the technical side, look for statistics and quantitative methods, survey and questionnaire design, and data analysis, often with tools like SQL, R, SPSS, SAS, or Stata, plus data visualization in Tableau, Power BI, or Excel. Many roles also use survey and questionnaire platforms, and CRM or database tools. Qualitative skills matter too: moderating focus groups and interviews, and synthesizing secondary research. Just as important is the ability to communicate, since the job is turning data into clear, actionable recommendations that non-experts can act on, which means strong writing, presentation, and data storytelling. For education, a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, economics, statistics, or a social science is typical, and some senior roles prefer a master's. When hiring, weigh demonstrated analytical ability and a portfolio or work sample over a specific degree, and list must-have skills separately from nice-to-haves.
What should a market research analyst job description include?
A strong market research analyst job description includes a short company and role summary, the core responsibilities, the required and preferred qualifications, the reporting line, and the employment and pay details. For responsibilities, focus on the real work: designing and fielding research, collecting and analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, tracking competitors and trends, building reports and dashboards, and presenting recommendations. Two things most templates skip but that matter here: state the FLSA classification thoughtfully, since the role is usually exempt under the administrative exemption but an analyst at a research firm whose work is the product may be non-exempt, and be clear about seniority, since junior, standard, senior, and specialist are genuinely different jobs. If consumer data is involved, note privacy and confidentiality expectations. The templates on this page give you a role-matched, fill-in-the-blank starting point, including agency and first-hire versions, with the FLSA and hire-versus-outsource guidance built in.
What happens after I hire a market research analyst?
Once the offer is accepted, onboarding a market research analyst centers on access, tools, and data responsibility, because the role handles consumer and sometimes proprietary client data from the start. Begin with the basics before day one: send the offer letter stating the classification and salary, collect the signed offer, complete Form I-9 and tax forms, and have them sign confidentiality, data-handling, and any NDA policies, since they will work with sensitive data. Then set up what they need to do the work: access to survey and analytics tools, the data sources and past research, and an introduction to the team and stakeholders they will support. Because research depends on clean process and protected data, a repeatable onboarding pays off. FirstHR supports the people side of this: e-signature for the offer letter, NDA, and policy acknowledgments, document management to store signed confidentiality and data-handling agreements, onboarding workflows and an AI onboarding wizard for the first weeks, training modules for data-handling orientation, and an HRIS with an org chart and employee database. FirstHR does not run payroll, administer benefits, or provide legal advice, so connect those providers and an attorney separately. Applicant tracking is coming soon to FirstHR.
