Occupation · SOC 19-3022
Survey Researchers
Plan, develop, or conduct surveys. May analyze and interpret the meaning of survey data, determine survey objectives, or suggest or test question wording. Includes social scientists who primarily design questionnaires or supervise survey teams.
Median wage
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Projected growth
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Annual openings
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per year
Employed (US)
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Job Zone 5
Typical preparation
Extensive preparation
Stackable credential programs
619 mapped
Core skills
Critical ThinkingWritingSpeakingReading ComprehensionActive ListeningComplex Problem SolvingMathematicsJudgment and Decision MakingActive LearningSystems EvaluationSystems AnalysisCoordinationTime ManagementSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionMonitoringManagement of Personnel ResourcesLearning StrategiesInstructingService OrientationScienceNegotiationOperations AnalysisProgrammingQuality Control AnalysisTechnology DesignOperations MonitoringManagement of Material ResourcesManagement of Financial ResourcesOperation and ControlTroubleshootingRepairingInstallationEquipment SelectionEquipment Maintenance
Knowledge areas
English LanguageMathematicsCustomer and Personal ServiceAdministration and ManagementComputers and ElectronicsSociology and AnthropologyCommunications and MediaPsychologyAdministrativeSales and MarketingEducation and TrainingPersonnel and Human ResourcesLaw and GovernmentGeographyEconomics and AccountingProduction and ProcessingTelecommunicationsPhilosophy and TheologyHistory and ArcheologyDesignPublic Safety and SecurityForeign LanguageEngineering and TechnologyTransportationMedicine and DentistryTherapy and CounselingFine ArtsPhysicsBiologyMechanicalFood ProductionChemistryBuilding and Construction
Technology & tools
Acarda CallAssistAcarda ForbiddenCallsAdobe ColdFusionApian SurveyProArgus Perceptual MapperAskia DesignAskia VistaAskia WebAskiaanalyseAskiafaceAskiavoiceC++COMCON DataFriendCfMC COSICfMC SoundSurventComputer assisted telephone interviewing CATI softwareCreative Research Survey SystemDATAN Merlin FastabDatabase softwareDataxiom StatMostDataxiom XproEZ FormsEmail softwareExtensible markup language XMLFaceTimeFuture Information Research Management ConfirmitGamma Associates mTabGraphics softwareGravic Principia RemarkHarmoni ESPRIIBM SPSS StatisticsInterviewer softwareJavaScriptKMR softwareMemphis Survey ExplorerMerlinco MERLINMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft Active Server Pages ASPMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office software
Representative tasks
Working with ComputersAnalyzing Data or InformationProcessing InformationGetting InformationInterpreting the Meaning of Information for OthersCommunicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesUpdating and Using Relevant KnowledgeMaking Decisions and Solving ProblemsOrganizing, Planning, and Prioritizing WorkDocumenting/Recording InformationCommunicating with People Outside the OrganizationThinking CreativelyScheduling Work and ActivitiesEstablishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsCoordinating the Work and Activities of OthersDeveloping Objectives and StrategiesIdentifying Objects, Actions, and EventsEstimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or InformationProviding Consultation and Advice to OthersGuiding, Directing, and Motivating SubordinatesDeveloping and Building TeamsEvaluating Information to Determine Compliance with StandardsMonitoring Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsTraining and Teaching OthersMonitoring and Controlling ResourcesPerforming Administrative ActivitiesCoaching and Developing OthersJudging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or PeopleResolving Conflicts and Negotiating with OthersSelling or Influencing OthersStaffing Organizational UnitsPerforming for or Working Directly with the PublicInspecting Equipment, Structures, or MaterialsControlling Machines and ProcessesAssisting and Caring for OthersRepairing and Maintaining Electronic EquipmentPerforming General Physical ActivitiesHandling and Moving ObjectsDrafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and EquipmentRepairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment
Competency framework
Skill expectations by proficiency level.
emerging
Survey instruments and questionnaires — administer using established protocols under faculty or senior researcher supervision in an academic or applied research setting.Interview and focus group data — collect from participants following a structured guide provided by the research team in a supervised field or laboratory context.Survey datasets — enter, clean, and verify in database software under direction to maintain data integrity for ongoing research projects.Literature reviews — conduct using academic databases and library resources to compile background information on assigned survey topics.Survey summary tables and basic graphs — produce using analytical software to support preliminary reporting under senior researcher guidance.Client or stakeholder requirements — document during intake meetings by recording stated needs and relaying them accurately to the supervising researcher.Response rate calculations — perform using provided formulas and sample disposition reports to track basic survey progress metrics.Survey recruitment and sampling procedures — follow as specified in the project protocol to assist in participant identification and contact.Presentation slides and fact sheets — draft from researcher-provided analyses to support dissemination of preliminary survey findings.Coordination tasks for single surveys — execute under direction, including scheduling interviews, managing logistics, and tracking materials in a research office environment.
developing
Multi-mode survey data — collect independently using interviews, questionnaires, and online platforms, adapting standard protocols to the demands of the study population.Survey instruments — design and pilot-test using established psychometric principles, refining item wording and response scales based on cognitive interviewing results.Data analysis scripts — write and execute in analytical or statistical software to produce descriptive statistics and cross-tabulations for routine survey reports.Client consultations — conduct to clarify survey objectives, sample requirements, and timeline constraints, translating client needs into workable research specifications.Survey progress reports — prepare by calculating response rates and reviewing sample disposition data, flagging deviations from targets to project leadership.Tables, graphs, and narrative summaries — assemble into professional technical reports and presentations delivered to internal and external stakeholders.Collaborative survey projects — contribute to by coordinating assigned workstreams with fellow researchers during planning, data collection, and evaluation phases.Survey sampling frames — evaluate and select appropriate probability or non-probability sampling strategies for studies with routine methodological requirements.Background research — conduct on assigned survey topics using published literature, administrative records, and secondary datasets to inform questionnaire development.Project coordination tasks for multiple concurrent surveys — manage by maintaining schedules, tracking deliverables, and communicating status updates to the research team.
proficient
Full survey research projects — design and direct autonomously, specifying sources of information, methodological procedures, and instrument construction from inception to final report.Complex or non-standard sampling designs — develop and justify, including stratified, cluster, and adaptive sampling schemes, for studies with demanding population coverage requirements.Mixed-methods research — execute by integrating quantitative survey data with qualitative findings from focus groups or in-depth interviews to produce comprehensive, actionable insights.Advanced statistical analyses — conduct using multivariate modeling, weighting adjustments, and imputation techniques to address non-response bias and produce valid survey estimates.Client requirements — negotiate and translate into detailed survey specifications, managing scope, timeline, and budget across projects of high complexity and strategic importance.Survey quality standards — monitor and enforce throughout data collection and processing by evaluating response rates, interviewer performance, and instrument reliability metrics.Research findings — present to diverse audiences including policymakers, executives, and academic peers, communicating methodological rigor and uncertainty with precision.Survey technology platforms — select and configure, including CAPI, CATI, and web-based interactive voice response systems, to optimize data quality and respondent experience.Interdisciplinary research teams — lead on survey implementation, coordinating contributions from statisticians, subject-matter experts, and field staff toward unified study objectives.Emerging methodological challenges — diagnose and resolve, such as declining response rates or coverage gaps, by applying inductive reasoning and adapting protocols in real time.
advanced
Organizational survey research strategy — define and champion across enterprise or institutional portfolios, aligning study programs with long-term policy, business, or scientific priorities.Survey methodology innovation — spearhead by designing novel approaches to data collection, instrument design, and nonresponse mitigation that advance disciplinary best practices.Research partnerships — cultivate and govern with government agencies, academic institutions, and private clients, establishing the organization as a trusted authority in survey science.Junior and mid-level survey researchers — mentor and develop through structured coaching, training curricula, and performance feedback that build institutional methodological capacity.Ethical and legal standards — establish and enforce for the organization's survey operations, including informed consent frameworks, data privacy protocols, and IRB compliance strategy.Cross-functional teams — lead across statistics, technology, communications, and domain-science units to execute large-scale, multi-survey research programs of national or global scope.Survey quality management systems — architect and institutionalize, embedding continuous improvement cycles that use monitoring data and client feedback to raise organization-wide standards.Research investment decisions — guide by evaluating methodological feasibility, resource requirements, and scientific value of proposed survey programs for executive and funding audiences.Authoritative publications and presentations — produce for peer-reviewed journals, major conferences, and policy forums, shaping the field's understanding of survey methodology and social phenomena.Strategic client relationships — steward at the executive level by translating complex organizational intelligence needs into high-impact survey research agendas and sustained advisory engagements.
Also known as
34 alternate job titles map to this occupation.
Analytic MethodologistBilingual Field InterviewerData AnalystData Collection SpecialistData CollectorEvaluation AnalystField CollectorField Data CollectorField InterviewerField RepresentativeInterviewerMarket Survey RepresentativePollsterProctorResearch AssociateResearch CoordinatorResearch FellowResearch InterviewerResearch ScientistResearch SpecialistResearcherRetail Data CollectorScreening Field InterviewerSurvey AnalystSurvey AssociateSurvey InterviewerSurvey MethodologistSurvey Questionnaire DesignerSurvey Research AnalystSurvey Research AssociateSurvey ResearcherSurvey StatisticianTelephone InterviewerTelephone Survey Interviewer