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Marketing manager: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $90,260lowest 10% earn less
- $123,02025th percentile
- $166,790median
- $216,41075th percentile
- $293,610top 10% earn more
The median pay for marketing managers was $166,790 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 6.9% over ten years, faster than the all-occupation rate[2][3].
How much do marketing managers make?
The official BLS category for this page is Marketing Managers. Its median wage was $166,790 a year, or $80.19 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean wage was $177,770 a year, or $85.47 an hour[8].
The median for all occupations was $50,980[5]. Marketing managers sit far above that figure.
The range is wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $90,260 a year[4]. The lowest-paid 25% earned less than $123,020[4]. The highest-paid 25% earned more than $216,410, and the top 10% earned more than $293,610[4]. Hourly, the same four lines were $43.39, $59.15, $104.04 and $141.16[9]. A percentile is a boundary, and BLS does not publish a starting salary[10].
The figures cover wage and salary jobs only. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and employer costs of benefits[11].
Pay by state and city
Massachusetts had the highest median at $212,020[12]. California came second at $193,620, and Virginia third at $187,820[12]. West Virginia had the lowest listed median at $98,750[12].
California had the most jobs at 54,660[13]. New York was close behind at 54,000, and Texas had 44,680[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median at $231,370[14]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA followed at $220,480, and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $213,910[14]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ area had the most jobs, at 54,730[15].
Show median pay in 47 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts[12] | $212,020 | 14,270 |
| California | $193,620 | 54,660 |
| Virginia | $187,820 | 6,890 |
| Colorado | $182,730 | 6,010 |
| New York | $181,200 | 54,000 |
| New Jersey | $180,040 | 13,510 |
| District of Columbia | $177,170 | 3,470 |
| Minnesota | $173,300 | 8,500 |
| Washington | $172,270 | 8,880 |
| Connecticut | $169,240 | 5,800 |
| South Dakota | $167,750 | 220 |
| Montana | $165,580 | n/a |
| North Carolina | $165,480 | 10,790 |
| Illinois | $162,860 | 21,140 |
| Wyoming | $161,580 | 100 |
| Oregon | $161,560 | 4,960 |
| Georgia | $160,760 | 8,510 |
| Kansas | $154,510 | 1,570 |
| Maryland | $154,160 | 6,510 |
| Pennsylvania | $150,810 | 13,840 |
| Texas | $147,880 | 44,680 |
| South Carolina | $143,290 | 3,760 |
| New Hampshire | $143,280 | 1,460 |
| Florida | $142,620 | 24,820 |
| Idaho | $142,090 | 1,320 |
| Utah | $139,830 | 6,100 |
| Michigan | $138,510 | 6,620 |
| Arkansas | $136,520 | 1,860 |
| Indiana | $136,260 | 3,350 |
| Maine | $135,380 | 1,320 |
| Wisconsin | $133,600 | 4,890 |
| Ohio | $132,330 | 10,620 |
| Arizona | $132,220 | 4,870 |
| Tennessee | $131,990 | 7,730 |
| Iowa | $131,120 | 2,210 |
| Missouri | $130,550 | 6,550 |
| Kentucky | $128,930 | 1,930 |
| Oklahoma | $126,920 | 1,420 |
| North Dakota | $125,580 | 180 |
| New Mexico | $122,980 | 800 |
| Louisiana | $120,650 | 940 |
| Alabama | $120,160 | 1,540 |
| Hawaii | $117,770 | 570 |
| Alaska | $116,270 | 240 |
| Nebraska | $110,570 | 1,910 |
| Nevada | $107,550 | 3,430 |
| Mississippi | $100,940 | 770 |
| West Virginia | $98,750 | 300 |
How to become a marketing manager
The training details below come from a BLS profile that covers marketing managers together with related occupations, so they describe a wider group[16].
The typical entry education is a bachelor's degree. BLS data also list work experience in a related occupation of 5 years or more, and no on-the-job training[7].
- First: earn a bachelor's degree. Marketing or another business subject fits, as does a related subject such as communications[17].
- Next: build experience in an advertising, marketing, promotions or sales job. Sales representatives, market research analysts and public relations specialists are given as examples[18].
- Along the way: an internship in school may make a candidate more attractive. Some managers begin as trainees or take part in mentoring or shadowing[19].
- Optional: some employers prefer to hire candidates with a master's degree[20].
The facts do not name a license for this work. They also do not give program costs.
What marketing managers do
Marketing managers plan and direct marketing programs. That includes judging demand for products and finding likely customers[21]. Typical tasks include:
- Planning and coordinating marketing activities to promote products or services[22].
- Using sales forecasts and strategic planning to keep products profitable[22].
- Identifying, developing or judging a marketing strategy[22].
- Hiring, training and reviewing marketing or sales staff, and overseeing their daily work[22].
- Checking the money side of product development, such as budgets and return on investment[22].
- Setting prices that balance company goals and customer satisfaction[22].
- Starting market research studies or analyzing their findings[22].
Where they work
Managers in this group typically work in an office. They may travel to meet clients or media contacts, and the work can be stressful near deadlines[23]. They work with art directors, financial staff and others, and also with top executives because their work affects revenue[24]. Professional, scientific, and technical services was the largest employer group at 23%[25]. Most work full time, and some work more than 40 hours a week[26]. About 5.3% of marketing managers were self-employed in 2025[27].
Job outlook
BLS expects jobs to rise 6.9% between 2025 and 2035, going from roughly 421,600 to 450,800[2]. For all occupations the projection is 3.5%[3].
About 34,000 openings a year are projected[6]. These include spots left by people who retire or change occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 1.9% of workers leave the labor force and 5.2% move to another occupation[28].
The OEWS count of about 395,240 jobs[29] leaves out self-employed workers, while the projections count includes them[2].
Is it a good fit?
The facts show a median wage far above the all-occupation median[1][5] and growth faster than average[2][3]. The entry path asks for a bachelor's degree and 5 years or more of related experience, so related experience matters along with the degree[7]. The role mixes strategy, budgets, pricing and staff supervision[22]. Pay varies by place, so check your own state and metro[12][14].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a marketing manager make an hour?
- The median was $80.19 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $85.47[1][8].
- What degree do you need to be a marketing manager?
- A bachelor's degree is typical[7]. Marketing or another business subject fits, as does a related subject such as communications[17].
- How much experience do marketing managers need?
- BLS lists 5 years or more of work experience in a related occupation[7].
- Is marketing manager in demand?
- Employment is projected to rise 6.9% between 2025 and 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. About 34,000 openings are projected each year[6].
- What is the highest paying state for marketing managers?
- Massachusetts, with a median of $212,020[12].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Marketing Managers in the US was $166,790 per year and $80.19 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Marketing Managers is projected to grow 6.9% from 2025 to 2035, from about 421,600 to 450,800 jobs (a change of +29,100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Marketing Managers: 10th percentile $90,260, 25th percentile $123,020, 75th percentile $216,410, 90th percentile $293,610. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 34,000 openings for Marketing 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
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Marketing Managers: education needed for entry: Bachelor's degree; work experience in a related occupation: 5 years or more; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Marketing Managers was $177,770 per year and $85.47 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Marketing Managers: 10th percentile $43.39, 25th percentile $59.15, 75th percentile $104.04, 90th percentile $141.16. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- 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
- 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
- Median annual wage for Marketing Managers in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Marketing Managers jobs: California 54,660; New York 54,000; Texas 44,680; Florida 24,820; Illinois 21,140. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Marketing Managers (areas with at least 100 jobs): San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $231,370; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $220,480; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $213,910; Billings, MT $212,760; Trenton-Princeton, NJ $208,440; Topeka, KS $205,310; Boulder, CO $199,570; Worcester, MA $199,280. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Marketing Managers jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 54,730 (median $192,840); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 18,550 (median $171,900); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 17,400 (median $165,340); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 16,320 (median $155,460); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 11,940 (median $213,910); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 11,170 (median $220,480). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers" covers Marketing Managers together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Marketing Managers. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Marketing Managers. O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of advertising, promotions, and marketing managers in 2025: Professional, scientific, and technical services 23%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: 5.3% of Marketing Managers were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Marketing Managers: 1.9% of workers leave the labor force each year and 5.2% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 395,240 people were employed as Marketing Managers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
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.