The median annual salary for marketing managers is $135,030, and the median hourly rate is $65, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Marketing Managers
10%$77,680
25%$100,010
50%$135,030Median
75%$192,520
90%N/A
Median Hourly Wage$65
Job growth9.9%
Total Employment278,690
State
Median Salary
Bottom 10%
Top 10%
Alabama
$103,170
$60,750
$207,820
Alaska
$95,420
$60,400
$169,130
Arizona
$120,260
$74,300
N/A
Arkansas
$126,500
$58,260
$206,380
California
$163,420
$86,990
N/A
Colorado
$160,530
$97,360
N/A
Connecticut
$135,950
$78,660
N/A
Delaware
$163,240
$117,630
N/A
District of Columbia
$162,660
$100,010
N/A
Florida
$127,140
$63,090
N/A
Georgia
$127,690
$77,930
N/A
Hawaii
$99,880
$61,510
$163,240
Idaho
$89,790
$47,800
$168,400
Illinois
$127,300
$63,910
N/A
Indiana
$120,740
$66,340
$201,380
Iowa
$120,010
$67,530
$203,040
Kansas
$124,170
$73,050
$192,320
Kentucky
$125,690
$60,080
N/A
Louisiana
$98,320
$58,890
$193,750
Maine
$108,770
$75,370
$169,130
Maryland
$128,160
$78,400
N/A
Massachusetts
$156,330
$83,940
N/A
Michigan
$124,930
$61,360
N/A
Minnesota
$152,350
$81,410
N/A
Mississippi
$82,240
$47,650
$166,180
Missouri
$102,060
$63,520
$191,790
Montana
$99,510
$67,460
$206,380
Nebraska
$99,070
$47,750
$163,180
Nevada
$100,040
$47,750
N/A
New Hampshire
$128,960
$78,400
N/A
New Jersey
$163,290
$103,040
N/A
New Mexico
$99,070
$59,370
$205,330
New York
$169,130
$104,210
N/A
North Carolina
$129,570
$77,680
N/A
North Dakota
$124,650
$81,400
N/A
Ohio
$127,860
$77,680
N/A
Oklahoma
$104,740
$59,870
N/A
Oregon
$125,900
$75,370
$206,890
Pennsylvania
$127,690
$76,130
N/A
Rhode Island
$152,350
$99,520
N/A
South Carolina
$124,400
$61,330
$207,820
South Dakota
$126,500
$79,860
N/A
Tennessee
$103,750
$61,090
$182,540
Texas
$128,030
$67,070
N/A
Utah
$104,560
$61,190
$173,550
Vermont
$99,480
$59,820
$161,630
Virginia
$162,640
$93,450
N/A
Washington
$152,350
$94,590
N/A
West Virginia
$81,810
$57,920
$168,400
Wisconsin
$124,570
$75,270
$206,890
Wyoming
$102,330
$77,940
$169,130
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2031. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
Salaries for marketing managers can vary widely based on a person's experience, their role or specialty, the size of the company they work for, and their location, among other factors.
Highest-paying metropolitan areas
Among the many things that can affect a marketing manager's earnings is the location in which they work and the cost of living in that area.
Metro Area
Median Annual Salary
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$204,540
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
$193,390
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$168,000
Boulder, CO
$163,800
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$163,240
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$163,130
Syracuse, NY
$162,600
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
$162,150
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT
$162,150
Trenton, NJ
$162,150
How do a marketing manager's earnings compare to other business managers?
Salaries for marketing managers are similar to pay for other managerial roles, but they trend a bit higher. Here's a look at salaries for comparable roles in other business careers.
Career
Median Annual Salary
Marketing Managers
$135,030
Human Resources Managers
$126,230
Financial Managers
$131,710
Project Management Specialists
$94,500
How does their pay compare to other marketing and advertising positions?
Marketing manager careers are so varied today that it would be misleading to cite one general salary. Pay could depend on one of many specialties and demand for the role. For example, search engine optimization (SEO) takes technical knowledge to master, a skill that wasn't that common until recently.
Career
Median Annual Salary
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$63,920
Advertising and Promotions Managers
$127,150
Public Relations Managers
$125,780
Marketing Managers
$135,030
Factors that affect your pay
In marketing, your experience and the size of the company you work for can have a big influence on your salary.
"Your earning potential is heavily weighted on your work experience," said Laurie Ehrlich, founder and chief strategist at Elevate Marketing Strategy.
Larger companies often offer larger salaries, but in exchange, they'll look for job candidates who have extensive experience, possibly in a specialty.
In marketing, your experience and the size of the company you work for can have a big influence on your salary.
While smaller organizations may pay less, they can offer marketing professionals broader experience, and this can allow them to specialize while still learning the basics across several areas of marketing. This can be invaluable when seeking higher-paying opportunities.
Another factor that can affect your salary is your education. There are three common marketing degrees, and each level comes with deeper knowledge and skills:
According to the BLS, overall employment for marketing managers is expected to grow 9.9% through 2031, faster than the national average for other occupations.
As the world moves online more and more, the need for marketers who specialize in print media will decrease while the demand for digital marketers will grow. This means that marketing roles that focus on reaching consumers online through websites and social media could be a lucrative career choice.
Here's a look at projected job growth through 2031 for other marketing careers:
Public Relations Manager
7.6%
Advertising Manager
7.1%
Market Research Analyst
19%
Public Relations Specialist
8.1%
How much competition will you face for a job?
Marketing professionals who understand and have experience in digital marketing tend to have an advantage when it comes to finding a job. Digital marketing has created many new marketing specialties to choose from, and all include managerial roles.
Marketing professionals who understand and have experience in digital marketing tend to have an advantage when it comes to finding a job.
Social media, digital content, SEO and search engine marketing (SEM) are just some of the careers that have grown out of digital marketing.
How do you advance your career?
The ability to spot and analyze trends to determine creative marketing strategies for clients is essential, and this comes with work experience.
In addition to experience, these tips could help you move up:
Learn to use software to target your digital audience, generate analytics, and track the performance of marketing campaigns.
Earn a certification in the marketing specialty that you want to pursue. If you're interested in data analytics, for example, you might consider the Insights Professional Certification, offered by the Insights Association. The American Marketing Association offers professional certifications in management, digital marketing, content marketing and more.
Google offers several certifications in online advertising, and some job descriptions specify a required credential. Twitter, Amazon and software marketing companies such as HubSpot and Moz also offer various marketing certifications, including SEO credentials.
