U.S. Market Research Industry: Size, Growth, and Participant Recruitment
The U.S. market research industry is worth $36.4 billion in 2025 with strong growth driven by AI adoption and demand for consumer insights.
Industry Size and Growth Trajectory
The U.S. market research industry reached $36.4 billion in 2025, representing a significant pillar of the broader global market. The global market research industry grew 37.25% from $102 billion to $140 billion between 2021 and 2024, with the U.S. market leading globally with $48 billion in revenue.
The U.S. market research industry increased 3.9% in 2024, though growth has moderated from earlier expansion phases. From 2014 to 2019, the U.S. market research industry grew at a strong pace, propelled by increasing expenditures on research and development and internet advertising. Employment of market research analysts is projected to grow 7 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than the average for all occupations.
Market Concentration and Industry Leaders
The top 50 companies generate about 60% of industry revenue, indicating a highly concentrated market dominated by established players. Leading market research companies include Kantar (UK), Gartner (U.S.), IQVIA (U.S.), Ipsos (France), and Salesforce (U.S.). The median annual wage for market research analysts was $76,950 in May 2024.
Methodology Trends and Digital Shift
Online surveys rank as the most used quantitative method among market research professionals with 85% of respondents who say they use this method regularly. Over 6-in-10 (61.1%) survey responses worldwide were submitted from mobile devices in Q3 2024, reflecting the industry's digital-first evolution.
69% of market researchers have incorporated synthetic data into their research efforts, while around 47% of researchers worldwide use AI regularly in their market research activities. 83% of market research professionals claim their organizations plan to invest in AI for their research activities in 2025.
How Brands Recruit High-Value Participants
Successful participant recruitment requires strategic planning and multi-layered screening. 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.