What is the salary and career path for a marketing manager?
Marketing managers map exactly to Marketing Managers (SOC 11-2021), a direct BLS match. The OEWS May 2025 median is a high $166,790 a year ($80.19 an hour), spanning from $90,260 at the 10th percentile to $293,610 at the 90th — one of the better-paid management occupations. BLS projects the code to grow 6.6% over 2024–2034, faster than average, with roughly 34,300 openings a year as companies invest in digital demand and brand. A bachelor's degree plus several years of marketing experience is the typical path, with platform certifications (Google Ads/Analytics, HubSpot) and an AMA PCM credential strengthening it.
- Marketing Managers are reported under SOC 11-2021 with a high $166,790 median (BLS OEWS May 2025); the top 10% clear $293,610.
- The role owns marketing strategy, budgets and teams across brand and demand generation, typically from a bachelor's degree plus experience.
- BLS projects the code to grow 6.6% through 2034, faster than average, with roughly 34,300 openings a year.
- The ladder runs from coordinator to marketing manager to director and on to VP of marketing or CMO.
Career Path
How do you become a marketing manager?
Marketing coordinator / specialist
Executing campaigns and content under direction sits near the $90,260 10th percentile of the code.
Marketing Manager
Owning strategy, budget and a marketing team earns the $166,790 median for SOC 11-2021.
Senior / director of marketing
Directing marketing across products or regions reaches the $216,410 75th percentile.
VP of marketing / CMO
Leading the whole marketing organization sits at the $293,610 90th percentile and into top-executive codes.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays marketing managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-2021. National median: $166,790. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does marketing manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles marketing managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: marketing managers rank 1 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +6.6% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly marketing managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-2021 (marketing managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do marketing managers need?
The American Marketing Association's credential across marketing disciplines. See all state licences →
Google's credentials proving paid-search and web-analytics proficiency.
HubSpot Academy credentials in inbound, content and marketing-automation.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do marketing managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 11-2021
Salary Levers
How do marketing managers earn above the $166,790 BLS median?
Tie programs to measurable revenue
Owning demand generation that drives pipeline moves pay from the $90,260 floor toward the $166,790 median.
Take on bigger budgets and teams
Directing marketing across products or regions pushes pay toward the $216,410 75th percentile.
Advance to VP of marketing or CMO
Leading the whole marketing organization reaches the $293,610 top decile and into top-executive codes.
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a marketing manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 11-2021. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
Marketing Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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