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Ad manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$133,660median pay per year, or $64.26 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $63,300lowest 10% earn less
  2. $91,37025th percentile
  3. $133,660median
  4. $201,05075th percentile
  5. $286,240top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[4]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[5]

Advertising and promotions managers earned a median of $133,660 a year in May 2025[1]. Employment is projected to shrink 3.7% by 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow[2][3].

Job growth, 2025–35
-3.7%[2]
Openings per year
2,300[6]
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree[7]

How much do ad managers make?

The median wage for advertising and promotions managers was $133,660 a year, or $64.26 an hour[1]. Half earned more and half earned less. The average was $154,280 a year[8]. For comparison, the median for all occupations was $50,980[5].

Pay varies a lot. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $63,300, and the lowest-paid 25% earned less than $91,370[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $201,050, and the top 10% earned more than $286,240[4]. In hourly terms, the 10th percentile was $30.43 and the 90th percentile was $137.62[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].

These figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[11]. About 21,470 people held these jobs in the wage and salary count[12].

Measure Annual wage Source
10th percentile[4] $63,300
25th percentile[4] $91,370
Median[1] $133,660
Mean[8] $154,280
75th percentile[4] $201,050
90th percentile[4] $286,240

Pay by state and city

New York had the top state median at $173,700, followed by Illinois at $167,330 and California at $167,230[13]. Alabama had the lowest listed median among the states with data, at $64,640[13].

The most jobs were in Texas (3,670), New York (3,550) and California (3,080)[14]. Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont had the highest median at $181,250, followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara at $180,500[15]. The New York metro area had the most jobs, 3,630, with a median of $174,390[16].

Show median pay in 36 states and DC
StateMedian per yearJobs
New York[13]$173,7003,550
Illinois$167,330160
California$167,2303,080
New Jersey$165,390470
Colorado$164,990180
Washington$163,380530
Massachusetts$163,090300
Rhode Island$157,89060
South Carolina$156,300n/a
Oregon$154,490430
Kansas$148,56040
Virginia$148,400180
District of Columbia$143,04080
Georgia$133,810420
Montana$131,770n/a
Wisconsin$131,530110
Connecticut$129,280240
Minnesota$126,920110
Pennsylvania$122,9401,540
North Carolina$121,730n/a
New Hampshire$120,53050
Indiana$113,930120
Iowa$108,890210
Maryland$107,380460
Kentucky$107,030230
Nebraska$106,380160
Maine$106,280n/a
Texas$104,1703,670
Ohio$102,110240
Michigan$101,610220
Tennessee$98,170n/a
Missouri$81,520n/a
Idaho$80,68060
Louisiana$78,810120
Arkansas$74,880140
Mississippi$66,520100
Alabama$64,64060

How to become an ad manager

BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the usual entry education, with less than 5 years of work in a related occupation and no typical on-the-job training[7]. The Occupational Outlook Handbook profile covers a wider group of occupations, so the details below describe that group[17].

The handbook also names useful skills: analysis, communication, creativity, decision-making, interpersonal skills and organization[22][23][24][25][26][27].

What ad managers do

O*NET describes the work as planning, directing or coordinating advertising policies and programs[28]. Typical tasks include:

Where they work

In the wider handbook group, managers usually work in an office, may travel to meet clients or media staff, and can find the work stressful near deadlines[30]. They work with art directors, advertising sales agents, finance staff and executives[31]. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week[32].

Self-employment is common. In 2025, 35.1% of advertising and promotions managers were self-employed[33].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to fall 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 33,200 to 31,900 jobs[2]. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5% over the same years[3]. These counts include the self-employed, so they differ from the wage and salary count above.

BLS lists a productivity factor. Managers increasingly use AI tools to test, change and oversee ad campaigns, so fewer managers can oversee more staff[34].

Still, about 2,300 openings are projected each year[6]. Openings include jobs left by people who retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 2.3% of workers leave the labor force and 5.2% move to a different occupation[35].

Is it a good fit?

The pay is well above the all-occupations median, and the range is wide[1][5][4]. The path usually needs a bachelor's degree plus related experience[7]. Employment is projected to decline, though openings still come up each year[2][6]. Related jobs such as marketing managers are projected to grow, so some readers may compare them[36].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[36].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an ad manager make an hour?
The median was $64.26 an hour in May 2025[1]. The 10th percentile was $30.43 and the 90th was $137.62[9].
What degree do you need to be an ad manager?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry education[7]. The handbook names business fields such as marketing, or related fields such as communications[18].
Is ad manager a growing job?
No. Employment is projected to decline 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, while all occupations are projected to grow 3.5%[2][3].
What is the highest paying state for ad managers?
New York had the highest median, $173,700[13].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Advertising and Promotions Managers in the US was $133,660 per year and $64.26 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Advertising and Promotions Managers is projected to decline 3.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 33,200 to 31,900 jobs (a change of -1,200). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Advertising and Promotions Managers: 10th percentile $63,300, 25th percentile $91,370, 75th percentile $201,050, 90th percentile $286,240. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 2,300 openings for Advertising and Promotions Managers are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Advertising and Promotions Managers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: Less than 5 years; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Advertising and Promotions Managers was $154,280 per year and $74.18 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Advertising and Promotions Managers: 10th percentile $30.43, 25th percentile $43.93, 75th percentile $96.66, 90th percentile $137.62. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 21,470 people were employed as Advertising and Promotions Managers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. Median annual wage for Advertising and Promotions Managers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Advertising and Promotions Managers jobs: Texas 3,670; New York 3,550; California 3,080; Pennsylvania 1,540; Washington 530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Advertising and Promotions Managers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $181,250; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $180,500; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $174,390; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $173,020; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $167,930; Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $166,390; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $165,000; Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $154,490. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Advertising and Promotions Managers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 3,630 (median $174,390); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,370 (median $108,690); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,350 (median $167,930); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 800 (median $91,900); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 660 (median $146,510); Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 570 (median $123,360). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  17. The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers" covers Advertising and Promotions Managers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  18. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  19. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  20. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  21. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  22. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  23. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  24. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  25. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  26. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  27. Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Important Qualities. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  28. O*NET description of Advertising and Promotions Managers. O*NET OnLine
  29. O*NET task list for Advertising and Promotions Managers. O*NET OnLine
  30. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  31. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  32. Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
  33. BLS Employment Projections: 35.1% of Advertising and Promotions Managers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  34. BLS Employment Projections, factor affecting employment of Advertising and Promotions Managers: Productivity change - share decreases as managers increasingly utilize artificial intelligence (AI) tools to test, modify, and oversee ad campaigns, allowing fewer managers to oversee more staff. BLS Employment Projections
  35. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Advertising and Promotions Managers: 2.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  36. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers. The Occupational Outlook Handbook text covers a wider group of occupations than this page.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.