Not Very Resilient
Last Update: 8/30/2026
AI Resilience Score for Survey Researchers:
34.0%
Median Score
Meaningful human contribution
Measures the parts of the occupation that still require a human touch. This score averages data from up to four AI exposure datasets, focusing on the role’s resilience against automation.
Low
Long-term employer demand
Predicts the health of the job market for this role through 2034. Using Bureau of Labor Statistics data, it balances projected annual job openings (60%) with overall employment growth (40%).
Low
Sustained economic opportunity
Measures future earning potential and career flexibility. This score is a blend of total projected labor income (67%) and the role’s inherent ability to adapt to economic and technological shifts (33%).
Med
This reflects the reliability of your score based on the number of data sources available for this career and how closely those sources agree on the outlook. A higher confidence means more consistent evidence from labor experts and AI models.
Most data sources align, with only minor variation. This is a well-supported result.
Contributing sources
AI Resilience Report forSurvey Researchers
$69,460 median salary•600 annual openings•SOC Code: 19-3022.00
Survey Researchers are less resilient to AI impacts than most occupations, according to our analysis of 8 sources.
Survey research is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI tools are now handling many of the tasks that used to make up the bulk of this job, including writing survey questions, coding open-ended responses, processing data, running statistical tests, and even creating final reports. These routine, repeatable tasks are exactly the kind of work that AI does quickly and cheaply, which means the demand for people doing only those tasks is shrinking.
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Survey research is labeled "Not Very Resilient" because AI tools are now handling many of the tasks that used to make up the bulk of this job, including writing survey questions, coding open-ended responses, processing data, running statistical tests, and even creating final reports. These routine, repeatable tasks are exactly the kind of work that AI does quickly and cheaply, which means the demand for people doing only those tasks is shrinking.
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Survey Researchers
Updated Quarterly
How is AI changing Survey Researchers jobs?
If you're eyeing a career in survey research, here's the honest picture: AI is already deeply embedded in the workflow, but it's mostly being used as a powerful helper rather than a replacement. In May 2026, AAPOR's Task Force on Responsible AI Integration in Survey Research released a report noting that generative AI and large language models are being used across the entire survey lifecycle — including questionnaire design, interviewing, data processing, analysis, and reporting. A recent Survey Practice [1] study found that ChatGPT can code open-ended qualitative responses with results that closely match human coders, saving huge amounts of time — which lines up with why routine data-classification tasks show high automation risk.
On the industry side, Greenbook's August 2026 innovation review [2] describes how new AI platforms now handle survey programming, fielding, weighting, statistical testing, and even PowerPoint report creation, with the explicit goal of freeing researchers to focus on interpreting results and advising stakeholders rather than eliminating their roles.
Sources
How fast is AI adoption growing for Survey Researchers?
Adoption is moving fast because tools are cheap, cloud-based, and immediately useful — but it isn't a wholesale replacement of humans. S&P Global's June 2026 labor analysis [3] reports that only 22% of AI projects target a fully autonomous end state, with most deployments remaining augmentative and requiring human oversight. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics [4] similarly projects that AI-related productivity gains will shrink demand for routine clerical roles while boosting demand for analytical occupations like operations research analysts (+21.5%) and data scientists (+33.5%) through 2034.
Ethical and trust concerns also slow full automation: AAPOR emphasizes [5] that responsible AI use in surveys requires transparency, disclosure standards, and human oversight to protect data quality — meaning survey researchers who learn to design studies, judge methodology, and communicate findings will remain valuable partners to the machines doing the number-crunching.
Sources
Will AI replace Survey Researchers?
In part. We think AI will eventually automate a real share of this work, but the judgment and communication skills at the core of survey research still matter, and they open doors beyond this one role.
Our 34.0% AI Resilience Score reflects real exposure. Tools already handle survey programming, statistical testing, and even report generation [2], and AI can code open-ended responses almost as well as human coders [1]. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting weak job-market growth for this occupation through 2034 [4], it would be dishonest to call this a safe harbor.
What stays human is the harder stuff: designing studies that actually answer the right question, spotting methodological flaws, and translating messy data into decisions stakeholders trust. Ethical oversight matters too, and AAPOR emphasizes that responsible AI use in surveys requires human judgment to protect data quality [5].
The smarter career move is to treat this role as a launchpad. The skills you build here, research design, critical analysis, and clear communication, transfer well into faster-growing adjacent fields like data science and operations research analytics [4]. Learn the AI tools, stay sharp on methodology, and you will be far more valuable than someone who ignores either side of that equation.
Sources
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Latest AI news for Survey Researchers
These articles highlight the evolving landscape for survey researchers in an AI-driven world. For instance, the World Bank blog discusses how AI innovations are transforming survey methodologies, allowing for deeper insights into economic resilience. Additionally, the findings from Washington University show that workers are leveraging AI to enhance their productivity, suggesting that survey researchers can harness these tools to gather more accurate data. Embracing AI advancements will be essential for staying relevant and resilient in this career, ultimately enhancing the value of survey research in understanding societal shifts.
Globally, More People Expect AI to Cause Job Loss Than Growth
www.pewresearch.org • 9/18/2026
Amid a mix of concern and excitement about AI, a 37-country survey finds pessimism about its potential impact on jobs and economic...
Democrats are now more worried than Republicans about AI and its impact on jobs
www.pewresearch.org • 9/17/2026
In another shift, Democrats are now more likely than Republicans to predict that AI will lead to fewer jobs over the next 20 years (75% vs.
Majority ‘more concerned than excited’ about increased AI use in daily life: Survey
thehill.com • 8/20/2026
A new Pew Research survey shows 52% of Americans are more concerned than excited about AI, while many fear job losses.
The Future of Surveys: Six Takeaways from the Inaugural Conference on Innovations in Survey Measurement in the Age of AI
blogs.worldbank.org • 4/27/2026
Advances in data and measurement are reshaping how researchers and policymakers understand jobs, livelihoods, and economic resilience in...
WashU Expert: Research highlights who wins, loses in AI-influenced job market
source.washu.edu • 4/8/2026
A survey conducted by Washington University in St. Louis graduate students shows workers are using AI not just to do tasks faster,...
More Career Info
Career: Survey Researchers
They gather and analyze people's opinions by creating and conducting surveys to help companies and organizations make informed decisions.
Parent Careers
Employment & Wage Data
Median Wage
$69,460
Jobs (2025)
9,800
Growth (2025-35)
-4.8%
Annual Openings
600
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025-2035
Task-Level AI Resilience Scores
AI-generated estimates of task resilience over the next 3 years
1
Hire and train recruiters and data collectors.
2
Collaborate with other researchers in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of surveys.
3
Direct and review the work of staff members, including survey support staff and interviewers who gather survey data.
4
Direct updates and changes in survey implementation and methods.
5
Consult with clients to identify survey needs and specific requirements, such as special samples.
6
Support, plan, and coordinate operations for single or multiple surveys.
7
Determine and specify details of survey projects, including sources of information, procedures to be used, and the design of survey instruments and materials.
Tasks are ranked by their AI resilience, with the most resilient tasks shown first. Core tasks are essential functions of this occupation, while supplemental tasks provide additional context.
