Day in the life
A Day in the Life of a Survey Researcher
What survey researchers actually do from the start of a shift to the end: the tasks, tools, schedule and realities of the job.
What is a typical day like for a survey researcher?
Review overnight survey responses. From there, the day usually includes design questionnaires, choose samples, and run surveys. Full-time business hours.
Hour by hour: a typical shift
No two days are identical, but this timeline reflects a realistic day for a survey researcher working full time.
- Review overnight survey responses.
- Test new questions with a focus group.
- Weight data.
- Analyze results.
- Write a report.
- Meet a client.
- Plan next wave.
Where survey researchers work
Survey researchers work in offices and remotely.
Hours and schedule
Full-time business hours.
Tasks you’ll do most often
- Design questionnaires
- Choose samples
- Run surveys
- Weight data
- Analyze results
- Write reports
- Test questions
Tools you’ll use every day
- Qualtrics
- SPSS or R
- Excel
- Survey panels
- Sampling software
- Tableau
The best and hardest parts of the job
What people like
- Interesting topics
- Remote options
- Mix of design and analysis
- Influence on decisions
What’s hard
- Declining employment
- Falling response rates
- Deadlines
- Small field
You’ll likely thrive if…
- I like asking good questions
- I like statistics
- I’m detail-oriented
- I care about accurate data
- I like writing reports
- I want remote options
Not sure? Take the free Survey Researcher fit quiz or the Career Match Quiz.
Staying safe on the job
- Protect respondent confidentiality
- Follow IRB rules
- Get informed consent
- Store data securely