Income and Qualifications
A freelance Internet researcher is usually paid per hour or by
project. She has to find projects and assignments by searching freelance
writing and other online job sites, and then apply for those jobs --
sometimes by submitting bids. While getting the work can sometimes be as
time consuming as executing it, these professionals earned average
annual incomes of $36,000 as of 2013, according to the job website
SimplyHired.com. Major requirements include attention to detail and
analytical, computer and Internet and decision-making skills. More
traditional companies -- such as consumer product companies that need
researchers to monitor their website activities -- may prefer someone
with a bachelor's degree in business, marketing or marketing research.
Regional Considerations
Average incomes for freelance Internet researchers vary per state
or district. In 2013, they earned some of the highest annual incomes of
$57,000 per year in the District of Columbia, according to
SimplyHired.com. Salaries for these professionals were also above the
national average for freelance Internet researchers in Massachusetts,
New York and California -- $44,000, $42,000 and $41,000 per year,
respectively. Those in Ohio, Texas and Florida earned up to 10 percent
less, at $35,000, $34,000 and $33,000, respectively.
Influencing Factors
Experience probably dictates a freelance Internet researcher's
income more than anything else. Those who are more experienced know the
procedures for getting assignments and researching better than novices
and, consequently, can submit bids and complete projects faster. This
results in a higher volume of work and income. Freelance Internet
researchers might also get paid more by larger companies, which can
support the higher hourly or per-project rates. And while these
professionals can work for companies across the United States and even
overseas, they might have access to more projects in major metropolitan
areas.
Career Outlook
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS, doesn't report job
trend data for freelance Internet researchers, but they do for market
research analysts, a closely-related career. The BLS reports that jobs
for market research analysts will increase 41 percent over the next
decade, which is nearly three times the growth rate of the average
occupation. Companies and bloggers often rely on Internet researchers to
make savvy business decisions and execute marketing strategies.
