U.S. Market Research: $37.7B Industry & Recruiting Verified Participants
The U.S. market research industry is worth $37.7 billion in 2026, growing steadily while brands compete fiercely to recruit verified, engaged participants who deliver genuine insights.
# The U.S. Market Research Industry: Size, Growth, and Recruiting High-Value Participants
Market Size & Growth Trajectory
The U.S. market research industry reached $36.8 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $37.7 billion in 2026. The market has grown at a 3.0% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2025, reflecting steady demand despite economic fluctuations.
Globally, the picture is even more robust. The U.S. holds 55% of total market research market share, underscoring American dominance in data-driven decision-making. The global market research industry generated $140 billion in revenue in 2024, with the U.S. leading at $48 billion.
Employment & Career Outlook
The profession is expanding rapidly. Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations. About 87,200 openings for market research analysts are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
The median annual wage for market research analysts was $76,950 in May 2024, making it a solid middle-class career. Employment growth is expected to be driven by an increasing use of data and market research across many industries.
The Shift to Digital & Mobile-First Research
Online surveys rank as the most used quantitative method among market research professionals with 85% of respondents who say they use this method regularly. Mobile adoption is accelerating: In the U.S., 51.5% of survey responses came from mobile versus 47.3% non-mobile in Q3 2024, marking the first time mobile overtook desktop.
How Brands Recruit High-Value Participants
Finding quality respondents is non-negotiable. Firms at various points in the research value chain dedicate time to recruiting participants for research among groups that are likely to have valuable insights, creating pools of high-quality respondents that are ready to go as soon as a brand has its research questions.
The recruitment process begins with precision. Brands work with their research partners to set parameters for market research recruitment – things like annual income of household/firm, buyer motivations, challenges, pain points, etc. Defining this at the outset paves the way for proper research participant selection and for making sure that the pool of participants only includes high-quality respondents.