Marketing Pay in the US: Manager and Specialist Figures with Sources
US wage data for marketing managers, advertising managers, PR managers and marketing specialists, with notes on what the figures exclude.
Published by SalaryBases. Drafted with AI assistance and revised to remove or reword figures we could not trace to a source. Not reviewed by a licensed professional. Pay figures come only from the official datasets named beside each table and apply only to the country, year and definition stated there. Methodology
This guide covers the United States. The page previously carried worldwide figures; we removed them because they could not be traced to a primary source.
What US government data shows
| Occupation (SOC) | 10th pct. | Median | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Managers (11-2021) | $90,260 | $166,790 | $293,610 |
| Advertising and Promotions Managers (11-2011) | $63,300 | $133,660 | $286,240 |
| Public Relations Managers (11-2032) | $82,410 | $146,910 | $284,990 |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (13-1161) | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
| Public Relations Specialists (27-3031) | $44,110 | $74,750 | $135,150 |
| Sales Managers (11-2022) | $73,170 | $148,270 | $290,540 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Scope: United States, national estimates, all industries, annual wages in US dollars (retrieved 9 October 2026). The median is the middle wage: half of the workers in the occupation earn more and half earn less; 10th/90th percentile mean 10% earn less/more. The survey covers wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments and excludes the self-employed, overtime, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, equity and employer benefit costs. BLS methodology.
Marketing managers have a 10th percentile of $90,260, a median of $166,790 and a 90th percentile of $293,610. Advertising and promotions managers have a median of $133,660 and public relations managers $146,910. Below the management level, market research analysts and marketing specialists have a median of $78,760 and public relations specialists $74,750.
Two structural points follow from the table. First, management roles are paid much more than specialist roles, and these are different jobs rather than a step on a pay scale. Second, the gap between the 10th and 90th percentile within marketing managers is wide, which reflects differences in company size, budget responsibility and location.
What the figures do not include
- Bonuses and commission: nonproduction bonuses are excluded. In some sales-linked marketing roles these form a large part of pay.
- Equity: not counted, though senior marketing roles at some technology companies receive it.
- The self-employed: consultants and agency owners are not covered.
- Freelance and contract day rates: not comparable to annual wages.
Sales managers appear in the table for reference only. That occupation spans every industry, not just marketing organisations, so it is not a like-for-like comparison.
Where pay differs most
Sector and company size matter more than the job title. Marketing pay in technology, pharmaceuticals and financial services is generally higher than in retail or the public sector, though we do not publish a percentage gap because we cannot verify one. Employer size affects budget and team responsibility, which feeds into the level of the role. Location also matters: BLS publishes state and metropolitan tables for the same occupations.
Specialisms
Digital, performance, product and lifecycle marketing are not separate occupations in the official classification, so there is no verifiable pay premium we can quote for any of them. When comparing offers, ask what budget and headcount the role controls; that is usually a better predictor than the specialism label.
Comparing an offer
Put base, bonus, equity and flexibility side by side with the Job Offer Comparator, and check take-home pay with the Gross to Net calculator. If you are moving into marketing from another field, the Career Switch Calculator compares the two salaries.
Key takeaways
- Marketing managers in the US: median $166,790, with a 90th percentile of $293,610.
- Specialists earn far less than managers: market research analysts median $78,760, public relations specialists $74,750.
- Bonuses, equity and self-employed income are not in the figures.
- We publish no country-by-country comparison because we cannot verify one.
Sources used in this guide
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025: methodology and tables — Every wage figure in the tables above (each row links to its own BLS occupation profile).