North Carolina · Occupational wage benchmark
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists Salary in North Carolina
What Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists actually earn in North Carolina — the published BLS median, what it is worth after local costs, and how it ranks against every other state.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2024 estimates (published April 2025)), North Carolina state estimates for SOC 13-1161; cost-of-living adjustment derived from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (RPP) (2024). Occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes.
- Median annual wage
- $78,410
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in North Carolina
- Adjusted for cost of living
- $83,127
- North Carolina price level 94.3 (U.S. = 100)
- Rank among states
- #13 of 51
- #10 after cost of living
- Workers employed
- 30,700
- in North Carolina
What Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists earn in North Carolina, adjusted for what it costs to live there
A headline wage only means something next to local prices. Once local prices are accounted for, North Carolina moves up 3 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
| State | Median (nominal) | Adjusted for cost of living |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $101,810 | $96,268 |
| Delaware | $101,270 | $101,465 |
| New York | $98,580 | $91,345 |
| District of Columbia | $98,090 | $89,253 |
| Washington | $95,120 | $88,886 |
| California | $94,700 | $85,531 |
| Colorado | $93,050 | $90,294 |
| New Jersey | $88,190 | $81,053 |
| Minnesota | $87,510 | $88,734 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $84,318 |
| Oregon | $79,150 | $76,576 |
| Illinois | $79,120 | $79,153 |
| North Carolina | $78,410 | $83,127 |
| Connecticut | $77,740 | $75,031 |
| Virginia | $76,980 | $76,139 |
| Maryland | $76,370 | $72,762 |
| Georgia | $75,850 | $78,770 |
| Florida | $75,450 | $72,959 |
| Vermont | $74,880 | $76,441 |
| Ohio | $72,790 | $78,459 |
| Texas | $72,520 | $74,719 |
| Maine | $71,980 | $74,168 |
| Arizona | $71,940 | $71,456 |
| Nevada | $71,840 | $71,855 |
| Kansas | $70,430 | $78,196 |
| Missouri | $70,140 | $77,232 |
| Tennessee | $69,790 | $75,966 |
| South Carolina | $69,440 | $74,070 |
| Pennsylvania | $68,760 | $70,471 |
| Montana | $68,080 | $71,932 |
| Michigan | $66,780 | $69,406 |
| Alaska | $66,710 | $65,173 |
| Iowa | $66,390 | $75,648 |
| Arkansas | $65,430 | $75,261 |
| Wisconsin | $64,800 | $68,867 |
| New Hampshire | $64,570 | $61,988 |
| Indiana | $63,700 | $68,253 |
| South Dakota | $63,490 | $71,670 |
| Utah | $62,630 | $63,350 |
| New Mexico | $61,950 | $67,182 |
| Oklahoma | $61,940 | $70,512 |
| North Dakota | $61,580 | $69,223 |
| Kentucky | $61,480 | $68,191 |
| Wyoming | $60,990 | $65,799 |
| Idaho | $60,970 | $63,847 |
| Nebraska | $60,000 | $66,590 |
| Louisiana | $59,690 | $67,670 |
| Alabama | $59,530 | $67,021 |
| Hawaii | $59,390 | $54,015 |
| Mississippi | $56,640 | $65,139 |
| West Virginia | $52,340 | $58,482 |
Nominal medians: BLS OEWS, May 2024 estimates (published April 2025) — occupational wage benchmarks across all workers, not MBA-specific outcomes. Adjusted column: SalaryMBA estimate, computed as nominal ÷ (state RPP ÷ 100) using BEA RPP 2024 all-items regional price parities. An adjusted figure is a purchasing-power comparison, not a wage anyone is paid.
The national pay range for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
BLS publishes the full percentile distribution nationally. It shows the spread within the occupation — the gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is usually far wider than the gap between states.
| Percentile (national) | Annual wage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,390 | Entry / early-career end |
| 25th percentile | $58,350 | |
| Median (50th) | $78,760 | |
| 75th percentile | $108,310 | |
| 90th percentile | $155,480 | Senior / top-market end |
Other MBA-relevant roles in North Carolina
How to read the North Carolina number
The $78,410 median means half of Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in North Carolina earn less and half earn more. It is measured across everyone in the occupation — every level of experience, every industry, and every level of education. It is not the salary of a recent MBA graduate, and it is not a starting salary.
BLS counts roughly 30,700 people in this role in North Carolina. The national percentile spread above is the more useful planning tool: within a single occupation, the distance between the 10th and 90th percentile typically dwarfs the difference between states. Where you land inside that range is driven far more by industry, function, and seniority than by geography.
What this data can and cannot tell you
This page answers “what does this role pay here.” It cannot answer “what will an MBA pay me here.” The BLS surveys establishments about occupations, not degrees, so no MBA premium can be isolated from it. Any site presenting these figures as MBA salaries is overstating what the source supports.
For MBA-specific figures we rely on cited school employment reports and moderated submissions, published only above our sample-size gates — see our methodology. To model your own economics, the MBA ROI calculator turns a target salary, tuition, and debt into a payback estimate.
Frequently asked questions
How much do Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists make in North Carolina?
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in North Carolina earn a median of $78,410 per year, according to BLS OEWS May 2024 estimates (published April 2025). That is -0.4% vs national, ranking North Carolina #13 of 51 states with published data for this role. This is an occupational wage benchmark measured across all workers in the occupation, not an MBA-graduate-specific salary.
Is $78,410 a good salary for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in North Carolina?
It depends on local prices. North Carolina's overall price level is 94.3 against a U.S. average of 100, so a $78,410 salary there has roughly the purchasing power of $83,127 nationally — about $4,717 more than the headline number implies. Once local prices are accounted for, North Carolina moves up 3 places — the paycheck stretches further than the nominal figure suggests.
Do Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists in North Carolina need an MBA?
These BLS figures cover everyone in the occupation regardless of degree, so they cannot tell you what an MBA specifically adds. Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists is a role MBA graduates commonly target, and an MBA can affect where you land within the range through network, function, and seniority — but any claim of a precise MBA premium for this role in North Carolina would not be supported by this data. Verified MBA-specific outcomes are collected separately and published only once they clear our sample-size gates.
Why is housing cost relevant to Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists pay in North Carolina?
Housing is the single largest driver of geographic cost differences. North Carolina's housing price level is 81.4 against a U.S. average of 100 — well below average, which meaningfully stretches local pay. Overall prices there sit at 94.3.
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