What is a typical marketing manager salary range?
Marketing is consistently ranked as one of the top career paths around the world. In the U.S. for example, the field is expected to grow faster than the national average — nearly 10 percent by the year 2028. The field is ripe with opportunities in a wide range of industries and disciplines. This work can be incredibly rewarding and well paid.
Interested in a career in marketing? The average salary for a marketing manager, a generalist title for someone who plans and oversees a variety of marketing activities, can range from $49,000 to more than $120,000 annually.
The salary range is quite broad for a reason. The salary of a marketing manager typically depends on a number of factors such as experience, location, company size, and skills.
Note: The base salaries in each of the categories below are for general marketing manager jobs based on information from Payscale and Glassdoor in February 2023.
How experience influences a marketing manager's salary
Experience is generally the main factor that influences a marketing manager's salary — seniority within an organization is often the driving factor. In some fast-growing industries, marketing professionals may have the opportunity to step into senior roles relatively early in their careers.
Chief marketing officer: $401,000
The CMO is an executive-level role responsible for the success of an organization's marketing department. The CMO sets the overall marketing vision and strategy and ensures alignment with broader organizational objectives. This person typically reports to the CEO and manages vice presidents or senior vice presidents.
VP of marketing: $368,000
The VP of marketing is responsible for creating a cross-functional marketing plan that drives the marketing department's overall strategy forward. They define and balance the marketing work that the team will accomplish to achieve the department's objectives. The VP of marketing manages leaders within the broader marketing team and reports into the CMO or CEO, depending on the size of the organization.
Director of marketing: $201,000
The director of marketing oversees a team of managers and specialists who carry out marketing activities. In many cases, directors serve as the leader of a team that specializes in a particular discipline, such as digital marketing, product marketing, or content marketing. The director of marketing reports to the VP of marketing.
Marketing manager: $75,000
The marketing manager is a mid-career marketing generalist who manages and carries out marketing activities such as email marketing campaigns, paid advertising, or product launches. The marketing manager might report to the director of marketing or the VP of marketing, depending on the size of the organization.
Marketing specialist: $56,000
The marketing specialist is an entry-level marketing position. The specialist reports to the marketing manager and is responsible for carrying out day-to-day activities that help move the marketing team's objectives forward. Marketing specialists are typically hired directly out of university or with one to two years of professional experience.
Tenure can play a role too. Typically, more experience equates to a higher salary. So while the average salary for someone with a marketing manager title is around $75,000, seasoned marketing managers can earn much more. Here is a breakdown of average marketing manager salaries by career stage or years of experience in the industry:
Late career: $122,000
Experienced: $88,000
Mid career: $75,000
Early career: $66000
Entry level: $59,000
Marketing manager salary variances by location
Location significantly impacts a marketing manager's salary. Marketing managers in cities with a higher cost of living will earn higher salaries. They also earn more in cities with large business districts or tech communities like New York or San Francisco. These cities have a higher demand for such roles, which drives up average salaries. Here are the average marketing manager salaries in major U.S. cities:
Atlanta: $82,000
Austin: $81,000
Boston: $85,000
Chicago: $86,000
Dallas: $83,000
Denver: $76,000
Los Angeles: $95,000
New York City: $94,000
San Francisco: $99,000
Seattle: $112,000
The cost of living in coastal states is typically higher than the national average. For example, California has the third-highest cost of living in the United States, while New York ranks fourth. Southern and midwest states typically experience lower costs of living.
In Europe, the countries with the highest salaries include Luxembourg, Denmark, Ireland, and Belgium. Information about marketing manager salaries specifically is not widely available by country in Europe, but here are some average marketing manager salaries in major European cities:
Barcelona: €45,000
Berlin: €57,000
Brussels: €72,000
London: £53,000
Madrid: €49,000
Munich: €64,000
Paris: €56,000
Rome: €55,000
Zurich: CHF111,000
The countries with the highest cost of living in Europe include Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Denmark.
In Australia, the average salary across all job titles is A$123,000. And the average salary in New Zealand is NZ$109,000. Marketing managers in both countries typically earn above-average salaries. Here are the average marketing manager salaries in major cities across Australia and New Zealand:
Brisbane: A$107,000
Melbourne: A$111,000
Sydney: A$127,000
Auckland: NZ$110,000
Wellington: NZ$97,000
How industry impacts a marketing manager’s salary
A marketing manager's salary might also vary based on their expertise in a specific industry or field. Some industries need marketing managers who understand how to communicate and engage with niche audiences. Financial services and insurance companies tend to be bigger, established enterprises — which likely explains the higher average salaries in those industries.
Consumer services: $79,000
Financial services: $94,000
Information technology: $79,000
Insurance: $84,000
Legal: $79,000
Manufacturing: $77,000
Retail: $75,000
Transportation and logistics: $75,000
Large, mature companies typically offer higher marketing manager salaries. Here are the ranges of a typical marketing manager salary at some sizable technology organizations based on data from Glassdoor:
Low | Average | High | |
Amazon | $115,000 | $146,000 | $189,000 |
Apple | $173,000 | $218,000 | $280,000 |
$171,000 | $216,000 | $279,000 | |
Meta | $195,000 | $249,000 | $325,000 |
Microsoft | $150,000 | $189,000 | $244,000 |
Salesforce | $134,000 | $168,000 | $213,000 |
How education and skills impact a marketing manager's salary
As with most careers, education level impacts a marketing manager's salary. Most marketing managers have a bachelor's degree, but those with graduate degrees, like an MBA, tend to earn higher salaries.
Many organizations also factor skillset into salaries. Some skills, like product marketing or digital marketing, are in higher demand. Companies may pay more for marketing managers with experience in these areas:
Brand marketing: $87,000
Content marketing: $76,000
Digital marketing: $80,000
Email marketing: $84,000
Market research: $112,000
Marketing communications: $92,000
Product marketing: $133,000
Social media marketing: $54,000
Marketing continues to be a fast-growing field, especially as new technologies emerge and create a need for new specialties. If you are creative, curious, and hard-working, then marketing may be the right field for you.
Build marketing plans like you always wanted. Sign up for a free 30-day trial.
