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Survey Sources
Organizations that need market data have various options. The following list is ordered from least expensive to most expensive.
- U.S. government surveys (if one is applicable to your organization)
- Internet data (taken from free salary sites)
- Published salary surveys
- Survey software databases
- Computer data banks
- Conduct (or sponsor) a new survey for your own organization (Note: the FTC Survey Safe Harbor Guidelines should be considered.)
Fortune 500 companies will typically use data from published salary surveys, survey software databases and computer data banks as the basis for their key compensation decisions.
In the following sections, we'll explore each of these survey options.
Memory Jogger
Of the following, what is the least expensive source for survey information?
Looking to Benchmark Pay?
See our salary, cost-of-living, and executive compensation data in action.