U.S. Market Research: $37.7B Industry, AI-Driven Growth & Quality Recruitment
The U.S. market research industry reached $37.7 billion in 2026, driven by AI adoption and specialized participant recruitment strategies that ensure authentic consumer insights.
# U.S. Market Research: $37.7B Industry, AI-Driven Growth & Quality Recruitment
The U.S. market research industry reached $37.7 billion in 2026, reflecting a dynamic sector reshaping how brands understand consumers.
Industry Size & Growth Trajectory
The market size of market research in the U.S. was $36.8 billion in 2025, growing 3.0% that year. The industry has grown at a 3.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2025. More broadly, the U.S. holds 55% of total market research market share, underscoring America's dominance in data-driven decision-making.
Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. The median annual wage for market research analysts was $76,950 in May 2024, reflecting the value placed on research expertise.
Market Consolidation & Leadership
The top 50 companies generate about 60% of industry revenue, indicating significant market concentration. Leading market research companies include Kantar (UK), Gartner (U.S.), IQVIA (U.S.), Ipsos (France), and Salesforce (U.S.), with Gartner being the largest by revenue in 2023.
Methodological Shifts: Online Dominance
Online surveys rank as the most used quantitative method among market research professionals with 85% of respondents who say they use this method regularly. In the U.S. specifically, 51.5% of survey responses came from mobile versus 47.3% non-mobile in Q3 2024—the first time mobile overtook desktop in American survey responses.
AI & Synthetic Data Transformation
83% of professionals plan to invest in AI for research in 2025, with 47% already using it regularly. AI enables synthetic data generation (adopted by 69% of researchers) and powers AI-moderated interviews that generate 4.5x more insightful responses than traditional surveys.
Recruiting High-Value Participants
Brands increasingly rely on specialized recruitment strategies to access quality respondents. Firms at various points in the research value chain dedicate time to recruiting participants among groups that are likely to have valuable insights, creating pools of high-quality respondents.