Studies culture, consumers, and markets to predict the colors, styles, and products people will want in coming seasons. BLS does not publish separate figures for market research analysts and marketing specialists; it counts them within market research analyst and marketing specialist (SOC 13-1161), whose median pay is $78,760 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1161
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Trend Forecaster in four numbers
- Median pay
- $78,760a year, or $37.87/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $155K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +7.0%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 82,000952,700 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025952.7K
- Projected 20351M
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 952.7K Projected 2035 1M - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Fashion Forecaster, Trend Analyst, Trend Researcher, Color and Trend Forecaster, Consumer Insights Strategist.
Pay
How much do Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists make?
Every trend forecaster in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$78,760
Middle half earn $58,350 to $108,310
- 10th
- $43,390
- 25th
- $58,350
- 75th
- $108,310
- 90th
- $155,480
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $43,390 |
| 25th | $58,350 |
| Median | $78,760 |
| 75th | $108,310 |
| 90th | $155,480 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $78,760
- Median hourly wage
- $37.87/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $89,490
- People employed
- 899,580
Versus all US occupations
At $78,760, Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists earn 54% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,780 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $155,480 or more while the bottom 10% earn $43,390, a gap of 3.6×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 57% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Massachusetts posts the highest raw median ($101,810), but once local prices are taken into account Delaware leads at $101,465 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Massachusetts | $101,810 | $96,268 | 39,710 |
| 2Delaware | $101,270 | $101,465 | 3,570 |
| 3New York | $98,580 | $91,345 | 80,500 |
| 4District of Columbia | $98,090 | $89,253 | 6,340 |
| 5Washington | $95,120 | $88,886 | 24,460 |
| 6California | $94,700 | $85,531 | 119,070 |
| 7Colorado | $93,050 | $90,294 | 27,880 |
| 8New Jersey | $88,190 | $81,053 | 22,990 |
| 9Minnesota | $87,510 | $88,734 | 21,280 |
| 10Rhode Island | $86,240 | $84,318 | 3,210 |
Job outlook
Is Trend Forecaster a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +7.0% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | +7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists to change 7.0% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.0× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 66,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 82,000 openings are projected each year, 8.6% of the 952,700 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Trend Forecaster
Most trend forecasters have a bachelor's degree in fashion design, merchandising, marketing, or a related field, and some take specialized postgraduate study in trend forecasting offered by design schools. Strong research, visual communication, and presentation skills are essential, along with a broad interest in culture.
People usually start as research assistants or junior analysts at a trend agency, or in design and merchandising roles at a brand where they take on trend research. Organizations such as Cotton Incorporated run trend forecasting teams that publish guidance for the apparel industry, and these teams also hire.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
The work
What does a Trend Forecaster do?
A trend forecaster predicts what consumers will want next. They track runways, street style, social media, art, technology, and economic shifts, then identify patterns and turn them into forecasts for colors, materials, silhouettes, and consumer behavior.
Forecasters work for trend agencies, fiber and color organizations, and the design and merchandising teams of brands and retailers. Their output includes trend reports, mood boards, color palettes, and presentations that help designers and buyers plan collections a year or more ahead. Increasingly they combine qualitative research with data from search, social, and sales to support their calls.
Day-to-day tasks
- Track runways, street style, social media, and cultural shifts
- Identify emerging patterns in color, materials, and styles
- Write trend reports and build mood boards and palettes
- Analyze search, social, and sales data to support forecasts
- Present forecasts to design and merchandising teams
- Attend trade shows and fashion weeks for research
- Advise clients on how trends apply to their products
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Trend forecasters work in agency or brand offices, and many roles are hybrid. The work includes desk research, team workshops, and presentations to clients. Travel to fashion weeks, trade shows, and cities for street research is common in some roles.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayDealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Active Learning3.8
- Mathematics3.1
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.8 |
| Mathematics | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Persuasion3.1
- Systems Evaluation3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Systems Analysis3.0
- Time Management3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software · in demand
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Desktop publishing software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Trend Forecaster?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AIE) built on O*NET's Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Trend Forecaster |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Enterprising5.5
- Investigative4.8
- Conventional4.5
- Artistic3.6
- Social2.5
- Realistic1.1
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Trend Forecaster
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
Market Research Analyst and Marketing Specialist
$78,760median a year
Most earn $43K to $155K
+7.0%Bachelor's - Management
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with market research analysts and marketing specialists highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Trend Forecaster$78,760
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Trend Forecaster | $78,760 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Trend Forecaster appears on
Questions
Trend Forecaster: frequently asked questions
How much do Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for market research analysts and marketing specialists. It counts them within market research analyst and marketing specialist, whose median pay is $78,760 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $58,350 and $108,310, and the top 10% earn $155,480 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Trend Forecaster?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation.
Is Trend Forecaster a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.0% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 82,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Trend Forecaster do?
A trend forecaster predicts what consumers will want next. A typical task: track runways, street style, social media, and cultural shifts. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Business intelligence and data analysis software, Cloud-based data access and sharing software.
Which states pay Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists are Massachusetts ($101,810), Delaware ($101,270), New York ($98,580) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Delaware moves to the top at $101,465.
What personality type suits a Trend Forecaster?
O*NET scores Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists highest on the Enterprising, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.