At first glance, research budgets don’t look as bad as the headlines suggest. Yes, some budgets decreased year over year, but most companies kept their budgets steady or even increased them a bit.
Still, a common challenge arose: the biggest budget hurdle for research is often deciding between growing the team or investing in improved efficiency. Headcount nearly takes up one third of the average research budget, and many teams find it hard to cover salaries that are two or three times higher than other research expenses—while also paying for the tools and resources needed to do the work. Many participants also said research salaries seem high compared to other research costs
This sentiment matches what we found in our 2024 UX Research Salary Report: fewer ICs and managers are making over $150,000 than before. This trend is seen elsewhere too. In 2024, the BBC reported that salaries for new tech jobs in the U.S. are stagnating or even dropping. A recent Dice report showed entry-level tech roles are being hired at lower pay year after year. However, that same report found that companies are investing more in retraining skilled professionals who haven’t yet hit top pay.
With ongoing talks about AI and democratization, many teams are trying to do more research with fewer dedicated hires. They’re focusing on tools, different methods, and training to improve efficiency before adding new research roles. That shift suggests the challenge isn’t just temporary—it’s a long-term strategy. For many, the answer isn’t simply “hire more,” but “invest wisely” in the people or tools that best link research to business results.
So let’s take a closer look at the data to understand how we arrived at that big picture:
