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survey research/methodology

Types of Degrees survey research/methodology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing survey research/methodology can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Master’s Degree	13

What survey research/methodology Majors Need to Know

Studies in survey research/methodology build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that survey research/methodology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in survey research/methodology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a survey research/methodology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to survey research/methodology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, survey research/methodology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Processing Information	4.4 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by survey research/methodology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
StataCorp Stata	Analytical or scientific software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	✓
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for survey research/methodology graduates include:

• Social Science Professor
• Lecturer
• Survey Research Professor
• Urban Planning Professor
• Naval Science Teacher
• Weight Control Lecturer
• Military Science Teacher
• College Teacher
• Urban Planning Teacher
• Foreign Service Teacher
• Industrial Arts Teacher
• Humanities Teacher
• Survey Research Teacher
• City Planning Teacher
• Family Consumer Science Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to survey research/methodology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.9%
Doctoral degree	26.2%
Master’s degree	23.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	5.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	3.3%
Some college courses	2.8%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.4%
Post-doctoral training	1.2%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in survey research/methodology?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 53.8% women and 46.2% men among survey research/methodology graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7	53.8%
Men	6	46.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of survey research/methodology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	10	76.9%
Hispanic or Latino	3	23.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do survey research/methodology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of survey research/methodology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,528
4 years	$43,428
5 years	$50,073

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $50,073 — roughly 33% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online survey research/methodology Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for survey research/methodology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	1	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in survey research/methodology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, survey research/methodology graduates earn a median of $43,428 four years after completion — roughly 14% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Social Sciences, General	45.01
Research Methodology and Quantitative Methods	45.0102
Social Sciences, General	45.0101
Social Sciences, Other	45.0199
Applied Demography	45.0502
Applied/Public Sociology	45.1102
Demography and Population Studies	45.0501
Demography, Other	45.0599
Rural Sociology	45.1103
Sociology, General	45.1101
Sociology, Other	45.1199
Econometrics and Quantitative Economics	45.0603

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.