Marketing careers have transformed dramatically in recent decades. Whole new branches of marketing have emerged alongside modern tools and technologies. As a result, the career path for a marketer is not as straightforward as it once was. Navigating your career is hard to do without a map — so we made one for you.
We profiled 50 of the most common marketing jobs today. For each, we outline the prerequisites, top paying skills, salaries, and common career progressions.
We also address common career challenges for marketers, including the Gender Gap and discrepancies in job opportunities by location. Additionally, we present forecasts for marketing job growth, and research on the value of MBAs and education alternatives in marketing careers.
Think of this as your travel guide to a career in marketing!
50 top marketing jobs by career level
The 50 marketing jobs we profile are divided into four levels: Leadership, Directors, Managers and Experts, and Staff. Take a look at our comprehensive marketing careers map below:
Keep in mind that these marketing career paths and profiles are distilled examples to help you get a feel for the marketing career landscape. There are many exceptions, and every person’s path is unique in some way. The most important thing is to evaluate what your career and life goals are, and don’t be afraid to take opportunities as they come along — you never know where they can lead!
We used survey data collected by Payscale to outline key factors for each marketing job profile. It is important to note that according to Payscale, “all compensation data shown are gross 10th to 90th percentile ranges.”
Select the job that interests you below to jump to that profile, or read on to learn more about the most important factors that affect marketing careers.
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Vice President of Marketing
Marketing Director
Global Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
Marketing Coordinator
Marketing Assistant
Product Marketing Manager
Channel Marketing Manager
Marketing Consultant
Field Marketing Manager
Brand Manager
Marketing Research Analyst
Demand Generation Director
Demand Generation Manager
Demand Generation Specialist
Email Marketing Manager
Content Marketing Director
Content Strategist
Content Manager
Social Media Director
Social Media Marketing Manager
Social Media Manager
Online Community Manager
Social Media Coordinator
Digital Marketing Manager
Digital Strategist
Internet Marketing Specialist
Ecommerce Manager
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Manager
Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Manager
Paid Search Manager
Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Manager
Communications Director
Communications Manager
Communications Coordinator
Marketing Communications Manager
Corporate Communications Manager
Public Relations (PR) Manager
Copywriter
Media Manager
Event Manager
Promotions Manager
Direct Marketing Manager
Media Buyer
Advertising Manager
Creative Director
Art Director
Digital Media Specialist
Graphic Designer
How are marketing careers changing, and how does that affect my future career path?
Marketing job growth: In 2012, there were 200,000 marketing jobs in the United States. By 2022, that figure will increase by 24,000 jobs, according to Monster.com.
To break down some of these jobs by function, we can examine some of the data for occupations covered by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This chart looks at projected job growth by occupation from 2014 to 2024.
Marketing manager positions not only have higher than average projected job growth, they are also ranked as the 13th best paying job by U.S. News and World Report.
Public relations positions are forecasted to grow about the same amount as the average for all occupations analyzed by the BLS. However, advertising and promotions managers are a little bit below the curve, and graphic designers are far below it.
It’s also important to look at what businesses are spending more money on within marketing, to understand what their priorities are and how marketing jobs will shift to meet those priorities.
As you can see in this graph, businesses plan to spend more on digital channels and tactics in their marketing strategies. Businesses plan to spend less on traditional marketing channels, such as direct mail, events, and broadcast and print advertising.
As more budget shifts to digital channels, it is important to gain the technical skills to excel in marketing careers.
The Gender Gap. Consider that, according to Payscale, 79% of marketing coordinators are women, while only 38% of CMOs are women. This significant gender gap may be a result of generational differences. Still, it reflects a reality faced by women who want to pursue leadership positions in their marketing careers.
Location, location, location. In a recent article, Forbes ranked the top 10 cities for marketing jobs, including the number of marketing jobs currently available. As you can see, New York City is leaps and bounds ahead of the rest, with more than two times the number of available marketing jobs than the next city — tech-dominated San Francisco. It’s also apparent from this list that marketers have a lot of options when it comes to location!
Top 10 Cities for Marketing Jobs:
New York, NY (4,244 jobs)
San Francisco, CA (1,961 jobs)
Chicago, IL (1,422) jobs
Seattle, WA (1,069 jobs)
Los Angeles, CA (1,036 jobs)
Atlanta, GA (1,012 jobs)
Washington, DC (999 jobs)
Boston, MA (930 jobs)
Austin, TX (803 jobs)
Dallas, TX (665 jobs)
Companies looking for marketers. Forbes recently published a list of the top 10 companies for marketing jobs, based on the number of available positions. Take note of the diversity of large companies included in the mix. The article notes that, for many companies, marketing is not just important for appealing to potential customers — it’s also important for attracting prospective hires.
Top 10 Companies for Marketing Jobs:
Amazon.com (425 jobs)
Wells Fargo (247 jobs)
GAP Inc. (219 jobs)
Microsoft (192 jobs)
Wyndham Worldwide (171 jobs)
Comcast (132 jobs)
JPMorgan Chase (110 jobs)
Oracle (106 jobs)
Facebook (103 jobs)
Uber (84 jobs)
Marketing career paths
As marketing jobs change, so do career paths. There are whole new branches of marketing departments that have been formed around content marketing, demand generation, social media marketing, and more.
If you want to make it all the way to the top — whether that’s the chief marketing officer, vice president of marketing, or chief executive officer — we’ll show you how to get there.
Using career progression data from Payscale and industry knowledge, we’ve pulled out examples of likely career paths for three different types of marketers — traditional, digital, and public relations/communications — starting at the bottom, and leading right to the top. In fact, if you are looking to lead a company, consider that 20% of current Fortune 500 chief executive officers start out in sales and marketing, according to Forbes.
Traditional Marketers:
Traditional marketing careers can be a fast-track to leadership positions. However, in these jobs, professionals need to have a well-rounded skill set from many different types of marketing — especially if they want a leadership position.
Digital Marketers:
The rise of digital marketing has resulted in a plethora of new jobs and career paths.
It’s important to note here that there is little data on career paths beyond the position of social media director. Positions like vice president of social media certainly exist, but the roles are relatively nascent. This highlights a trade-off that comes with specialization. Be aware that as you hone specialized skills, your career options narrow.
Public Relations/Communications Professionals:
Public relations and communications professionals continue to be important to businesses as they adapt to demands for different skills in the digital age.
The type of organization you work for matters
The type of organization you work for has a huge impact on marketing careers. Here are some pros and cons for accepting a position at four types of organizations: agencies, consulting firms, in-house at a company, and startups.
Agency
Pros:
Opportunities to work with a wide variety of companies.
Many marketing jobs (especially those in public relations) require agency experience.
Surrounded by experts in your field who you can learn from.
Good salaries.
Cons:
What the client says goes.
Long hours required around deadlines, and marketers may be expected to be on-call for client requests.
A lot of competition for promotions.
Ability to gain new skills could be limited if marketers take on specialized tasks or there is a lot of competition.
Marketers may become burned out.
Job security depends on business development.
Consulting
Pros:
Work with a wide variety of companies.
Unless the consulting firm is marketing specific, marketers may have the opportunity to transition to other teams and build up technical or business skills.
Great salaries.
Cons:
What the client says goes.
Long hours required around deadlines, and marketers may be expected to be on-call for client requests.
There is sometimes an up-or-out environment.
Marketers may become burned out.
Frequent travel to meetings with clients may be required.
Job security depends on business development.
In-house
Pros:
Marketers are one of the few go-to expert for marketing matters in these organizations.
More opportunity to take on leadership roles.
Can gain experience working with all parts of a business, including leadership.
Job security may be better than other types of organizations.
Cons:
There aren’t many people who can cover for marketers.
There may be an established hierarchy to work through.
Marketers probably won’t get the breadth of experience as they would at an agency or consulting firm.
Have to be able to work with and prove ROI to non-marketer colleagues and leadership.
Startup
Pros:
Marketers are one of the few go-to expert for marketing matters in these organizations.
More opportunity to take on leadership roles.
Opportunity to gain a lot of experience and skills across marketing very quickly.
Opportunity to mold marketing strategies from the get-go.
Work in an innovative, exciting environment, with a lot of value around work culture.
Cons:
There aren’t many people who can cover for marketers.
Job security is not guaranteed.
Job growth depends on how fast the company grows.
MBAs in marketing: Who, why, when, and where
Who should get an MBA in marketing? Do you have formal education in marketing or your area of expertise? If not, it may be used against you in salary negotiations and could make you less attractive to potential future employers. If you have minimal marketing experience, are looking to change your focus or industry, or want to pursue higher level positions, an MBA may improve your likelihood of achieving your career goals.
Why should you get an MBA in marketing? First, getting an MBA in marketing raises your earning potential. All Business Schools reports that having a bachelor’s degree and an MBA can add $9,000 to $16,000 to a marketer’s salary, although they note that many MBA graduates start out at higher positions with larger salaries.
Second, some positions may require or strongly prefer candidates with advanced degrees (check out our list of job profiles below for more details). Third, if your undergraduate degree was not in marketing and you are looking to improve your educational background or switch into the marketing field, going back to school can be a good way to do those things.
When should you get your MBA? Most MBA programs expect you to have a few years of experience under your belt before applying, so timing can vary. Keep in mind that MBAs are expensive. The average cost of a two-year MBA program is more than $60,000, and some of the best-rated business schools in the country can cost more than $100,000. Financial aid can help, and some companies offer tuition assistance programs or they could even cover the entire cost of your tuition.
Where are the best places to get an MBA in marketing? U.S. News and World Report is a key source for information and stats on the best MBA programs for marketers. You can access basic data on top tier schools for free, or you can sign up to get information on the full list.
Are there alternatives? Take a look at the job profiles below. If you have a significant amount of experience already, you may not need to pursue official education.
If you have some experience, you may be able to improve and showcase your educational background through certification or training courses. Two good options are the Professional Researcher Certification (PRC) offered by the Marketing Research Association for market research analysts, and the professional certifications offered by the Public Relations Society of America (based on experience and an exam).
Additionally, some companies even offer training programs, so be sure to do your research before applying.
MARKETING CAREERS — JOB PROFILES:
Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)
Base annual salary: $80,253-$253,036
National average annual salary: $187,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (5%)
5-9 years (8%)
10-19 years (39%)
20+ years (47%)
Popular skills: Strategic marketing, marketing management, branding, marketing communications, business development
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Online marketing (10% higher salary)
Product marketing (10% higher salary)
Strategic marketing (6% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Chief Executive Officer
Travel requirements: Extensive travel may be required.
Educational requirements: Most employers require an advanced degree in marketing or a related field.
Work schedule: Long hours are often required.
The chief marketing officer (CMO) is responsible for creating and managing the execution of a company’s marketing vision. The CMO concretely lays out goals and provides direction for their sales and marketing employees. They must also be able to communicate the excitement and vision of the company to the media and clients through many marketing channels. Exceptional skills in leadership, quantitative data analysis, management, and communication, along with a strong background in sales and marketing, are a must. If you are looking to lead a company, consider that 20% of current Fortune 500 chief executive officers start out in sales and marketing, according to Forbes.
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Vice President of Marketing
Base annual salary: $81,835-$194,584
National average annual salary: $155,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (0%)
1-4 years (3%)
5-9 years (12%)
10-19 years (49%)
20+ years (36%)
Popular skills: Strategic marketing, marketing management, marketing communications, product marketing, advertising
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Product development (17% higher salary)
Product marketing (15% higher salary)
Market research (7% higher salary)
Potential career progression: President, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Senior Vice President of Marketing
Travel requirements: Travel may be required.
Educational requirements: Extensive education in marketing and business administration recommended.
Work schedule: Long hours are often required.
Vice presidents of marketing are highly placed executives or board-level directors responsible for outlining and managing a company’s marketing strategies around its products and services. They have responsibilities that range from branding to advertising and even pricing and discount structures. The VP of marketing will typically have a research team that evaluates the effectiveness of current marketing programs, and generates ideas for future product development. They are usually responsible for presenting and proving the ROI of marketing strategies to other executives and the board. In a director-level executive role, the VP of marketing typically sits on an executive board within the company, usually as a direct report to a division president, chief executive, or chief operating officer.
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Marketing Director
Base annual salary: $41,245-$145,256
National average annual salary: $81,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (17%)
5-9 years (26%)
10-19 years (40%)
20+ years (16%)
Popular skills: Marketing management, marketing communications, strategic marketing, advertising, branding
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Product marketing (34% higher salary)
Strategic marketing (19% higher salary)
Strategic planning (13% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Marketing Director, Marketing Communications Director, Marketing and Business Development Director, Senior Marketing Director
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a similar field is usually required. Marketing certifications may be beneficial.
Marketing directors are responsible for managing and directing marketing strategies. They oversee their company’s marketing staff and specify the scope of its marketing needs. Their main duties include creating projects, concepts, and budgets for successful marketing campaigns. They also help resolve team issues and maintain communication with clients, vendors, and other managers within their company. Marketing directors help brainstorm ideas and measure the progress of marketing projects. They collect and review data to improve the company’s future marketing performance.
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Global Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $59,963-$144,916
National average annual salary: $103,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (14%)
5-9 years (37%)
10-19 years (33%)
20+ years (15%)
Popular skills: Strategic marketing, marketing management, marketing communications, product marketing, project management
Skills correlated with pay higher than the national average:
Business strategy (84% higher salary)
Strategic marketing (11% higher salary)
Product marketing (6% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Director, Vice President of Marketing
Travel requirements: Some travel is likely.
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in a field related to the company’s focus area, with a master’s of business administration preferred.
The global marketing manager oversees the company’s marketing budget on a global scale, forms and executes plans for development, and presents internally about the company’s direction. The global marketing manager must also establish and maintain relationships with partners and be able to work with other departments to coordinate efforts on development and expanding the organization’s business.
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Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $39,541-$96,582
National average annual salary: $62,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (32%)
5-9 years (36%)
10-19 years (24%)
20+ years (7%)
Popular skills: Marketing management, marketing communications, strategic marketing, social media marketing, project management
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (9% higher salary)
Marketing management (3% higher salary)
Project management (2% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Director, Senior Marketing Manager, Vice President of Marketing, Marketing Communications Manager, Marketing and Business Development Manager
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing usually required, with management disciplines and postgraduate education preferred.
Work schedule: Typically follows an average work week, with longer hours required around new campaign launches.
A marketing manager is a person within a company who supervises and helps create advertising or merchandising sales campaigns that the business uses to sell itself and its products. A marketing manager can be assigned to a single product, a product line, a brand, or the entire company. They work to incorporate a variety of input from creative, research, advertising, and sales teams. Marketing managers have to be very organized, because even small changes or iterations on existing marketing campaigns can require a lot of coordination and timing precision. Marketing managers have to orchestrate these changes across multiple groups and teams within the company.
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Marketing Coordinator
Base annual salary: $31,001-$54,264
National average annual salary: $40,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (6%)
1-4 years (66%)
5-9 years (19%)
10-19 years (8%)
20+ years (2%)
Popular skills: Marketing communications, social media marketing, Microsoft Office, event planning, email marketing
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Adobe InDesign (3%)
Marketing management (3%)
Project management (2%)
Potential career progression: Marketing Manager, Marketing Director, Marketing Specialist, Marketing Communications Manager, Marketing Project Manager
Travel requirements: Some travel may be necessary.
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications may be required.
Marketing coordinators develop and coordinate marketing campaigns for their companies. These campaigns may involve presentations, social media, print, mailing, or television advertisements, and often a combination of these. They may work with other marketers and employees, such as producers and graphic designers, as well as sales or customer service representatives and external vendors.Strong research skills are important to understand evolving trends within the market, and coordinators may be tasked with producing forecasts. Skills in public speaking and making presentations are important, and knowledge of graphic design is helpful. There are both entry-level and experienced marketing coordinator positions available.
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Marketing Assistant
Base annual salary: $26,528-$46,865
National average annual salary: $34,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (15%)
1-4 years (68%)
5-9 years (11%)
10-19 years (5%)
20+ years (1%)
Popular skills: Marketing communications, social media marketing, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Customer relationship management (4% higher salary)
PowerPoint (2% higher salary)
Adobe InDesign (2% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Manager, Executive Assistant, Marketing Coordinator, Marketing Director, Marketing Specialist
Educational requirements: Associate’s degree accepted, bachelor’s degree preferred
Work schedule: Regular business hours.
A marketing assistant is an employee who works within a company’s marketing department. He or she typically works to help with data collection and analysis for market research. The assistant likely helps to perform administrative duties for the rest of the marketing department. The position of marketing assistant is typically the first step to working in marketing, and it is normally entry-level.
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Product Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $53,550-$121,708
National average annual salary: $89,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (32%)
5-9 years (34%)
10-19 years (25%)
20+ years (7%)
Popular skills: Product marketing, strategic marketing, marketing management, marketing communications, marketing research
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Competitive intelligence (7% higher salary)
Strategic marketing (6% higher salary)
Business analysis (4% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Director, Senior Marketing Manager, Senior Product Manager, Product Marketing Director, Senior Product Marketing Manager
Educational requirements: May require a bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field.
A product marketing manager must become highly familiar with the company’s products to construct a strategy for how best to sell them in order to generate the highest revenues. The product marketing manager oversees how the product is advertised, discussed in press releases, and seen by the public. Product marketing managers can work on local, regional, national, or international levels. A company may look for a product marketing manager with expertise in their particular industry.
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Channel Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $52,993-$115,863
National average annual salary: $86,000 average
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (20%)
5-9 years (37%)
10-19 years (32%)
20+ years (10%)
Popular skills: Strategic marketing, marketing management, marketing communications, market research, web marketing
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Online marketing (16% higher salary)
Web marketing (12% higher salary)
PowerPoint (9% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing Director
Travel requirements: Frequent travel is expected.
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing or a related field required, and education or experience in logistics and distribution preferred.
Work schedule: Regular business hours.
Large companies that sell products frequently do not do business directly with their customers; instead, they sell their goods through retailers, affiliates, and other outlets. These are called channels, and a channel marketing manager works with these entities to support sales of their company’s products while ensuring the outlets keep the product’s branding and marketing consistent.
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Marketing Consultant
Base annual salary: $33,272-$101,486
National average annual salary: $62,000 average
Experience:
Less than 1 year (5%)
1-4 years (37%)
5-9 years (24%)
10-19 years (22%)
20+ years (11%)
Popular skills: Strategic marketing, marketing communications, marketing management, market research, branding
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (18% higher salary)
Marketing management (4% higher salary)
Marketing communications (2% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Manager, Marketing Director, Senior Marketing Manager, Marketing Communications Manager, Vice President of Marketing
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or business is required, although some other fields, such as graphic design, may be desirable.
A marketing consultant works to further the brand, image, and market share of the company for which they work. This can include a wide variety of activities, including social media strategy, design, content marketing, and more. The ability to work cooperatively with others is one of the most important skills a marketing consultant can have, because of the range of departments they work with. They are also responsible for being able to identify and quantify the results of various marketing campaigns or projects.
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Field Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $40,995-$98,565
National average annual salary: $67,000 average
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (38%)
5-9 years (36%)
10-19 years (19%)
20+ years (2%)
Popular skills: Marketing management, strategic marketing, marketing communications, event management, market research
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
PowerPoint (14% higher salary)
Marketing communications (5% higher salary)
Strategic marketing (1% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Manager, Marketing Director
Travel requirements: Occasional travel to trade shows may be required.
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in advertising, marketing (sales and retail), communications, business administration, or a related field is required.
Work schedule: Regular business hours, with some longer hours around deadlines.
Field marketing managers are responsible for overseeing the smooth functioning of franchise businesses. They will analyze the business plans of these stores, how they plan to expand, and if they are operating properly in the given market. These managers develop field marketing plans, including online and event marketing for brand promotion and market research.
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Brand Manager
Base annual salary: $41,321-$113,815
National average annual salary: $75,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (33%)
5-9 years (37%)
10-19 years (22%)
20+ years (6%)
Popular skills: Branding, strategic marketing, marketing management, product marketing, marketing communications
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (12% higher salary)
Marketing management (11% higher salary)
Product marketing (8% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Director, Vice President of Marketing, Product Marketing Manager, Brand Marketing Manager, Senior Brand Manager
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree recommended
Work schedule: Regular business hours.
Customer-facing businesses often have one or more brand managers, assigned to one or more trademarked products of business lines. The brand manager’s job is to understand and manage how a brand is exposed to and perceived by the public. Normally, brand managers work with a staff within the marketing department. Brand managers analyze the intended market for a brand or product, then design strategies to better position the brand’s products or services in the marketplace. This process takes place before launching a new product or business line, or to bolster an existing brand’s position.
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Marketing Research Analyst
Base annual salary: $35,043-$70,669
National average annual salary: $49,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (13%)
1-4 years (63%)
5-9 years (16%)
10-19 years (6%)
20+ years (2%)
Popular skills: Data analysis, marketing research, Microsoft Excel, SPSS, SAS
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
SAS (9% higher salary)
Data analysis (2% higher salary)
SPSS (1% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Manager, Market Research Manager, Senior Marketing Research Analyst, Project Director of Marketing Research
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree recommended
A marketing research analyst is mainly responsible for interpreting information from department reports, as well as presenting recommendations based on those analyses. Responsibilities can include working with the marketing team to plan and implement content strategies, maximize customer acquisition and retention, and explore data analyses to further departmental understanding of consumer experiences. Analysts should also have a knowledge of trends in the marketing field and database query and analysis.
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Demand Generation Director
Base annual salary: $83,806-$158,781
National average annual salary: $130,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (0%)
1-4 years (13%)
5-9 years (26%)
10-19 years (47%)
20+ years (14%)
Popular skills: Lead generation, strategic marketing, online marketing, Marketo
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Lead generation (1% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree may be required.
Demand generation directors are responsible for developing and leading a company’s generation strategies for content, outreach, searches, and other digital tactics which produce leads that turn into customers. These directors manage both online and offline demand campaigns and also design, test, automate, and execute new campaigns. Demand generation directors should be able to develop close working relationships with sales teams. Advanced knowledge of B2B marketing practices in automating and generating content and nurturing new lead sources, as well as database management, is essential for this position.
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Demand Generation Manager
Base annual salary: $51,076-$109,119
National average annual salary: $81,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (3%)
1-4 years (41%)
5-9 years (36%)
10-19 years (20%)
20+ years (1%)
Popular skills: Lead generation, online marketing, email marketing, Marketo, strategic marketing
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Marketing management (7% higher salary)
Salesforce (5% higher salary)
Lead generation (1% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree may be required.
Demand generation managers work to attract more consumers to the item or service being sold, using content, outreach, searches, and other digital tactics which produce leads that turn into customers. To land sales, it is crucial that they create effective advertisements, samples, and reading materials. Demand generation managers in advertising and marketing fields must help companies appeal to their target audiences. These managers should also expect to work with field agents and advertising or marketing professionals on a daily basis. Knowledge of B2B marketing practices in automating and generating content and nurturing new lead sources, as well as database management, is essential for this position.
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Demand Generation Specialist
Base annual salary: $35,376-$80,397
National average annual salary: $55,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (4%)
1-4 years (65%)
5-9 years (18%)
10-19 years (8%)
20+ years (5%)
Popular skills: Email marketing
Demand generation specialists work across teams to ensure lead generation goals are met. They evaluate and maintain marketing databases and software, and define and segment customers to execute appropriate outreach strategies. They create, design, test, automate, and execute new demand campaigns, and then implement and measure results.
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Email Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $41,362-$87,199
National average annual salary: $63,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (40%)
5-9 years (47%)
10-19 years (10%)
20+ years (1%)
Popular skills: Email marketing, HTML, web marketing, direct marketing, customer relationship management
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Customer relationship management (7% higher salary)
Email marketing (5% higher salary)
HTML (1% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a related field required, and a master’s degree is often preferred.
Email marketing managers supervise one or more teams of employees who create and execute marketing campaigns across multiple online channels. Their teams must continuously research prospects and potential customers to enhance their own advertising and marketing for their products. Excellent management, leadership, communications, and organizational skills are essential, as is the ability to keep up with the latest industry trends.
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Content Marketing Director
Base annual salary: $54,506-$145,269
National average annual salary: $92,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (1%)
1-4 years (19%)
5-9 years (30%)
10-19 years (38%)
20+ years (12%)
Popular skills: Content management, people management, copywriting, editing, social media marketing
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategy development (22% higher salary)
Marketing communications (9% higher salary)
People management (4% higher salary)
Directors of content marketing are responsible for working with teams to develop content strategy and drive demand. They formulate and execute new and effective content marketing strategies, and report on marketing campaigns. They manage and inspire content staff to ensure that content marketing goals are reached.
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Content Strategist
Base annual salary: $38,677-$98,643
National average annual salary: $61,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (50%)
5-9 years (29%)
10-19 years (16%)
20+ years (3%)
Popular skills: Content management, copywriting, web content management, editing, project management
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Marketing communications (5% higher salary)
Technical writing (5% higher salary)
Project management (2% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, or a related field is required.
Work schedule: Regular business hours, with more flexibility for freelancers possible.
Content strategists typically develop a plan for content and oversee how that plan is carried out. Content strategists often work closely with social media strategists, marketing professionals, and designers to create a cohesive message; these job roles may overlap, emphasizing the importance of strong communication skills in this position.
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Content Manager
Base annual salary: $35,126-$84,596
National average annual salary: $54,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (3%)
1-4 years (49%)
5-9 years (27%)
10-19 years (17%)
20+ years (4%)
Popular skills: Content management, web content management, project management, editing, marketing communications
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Media/public relations (19% higher salary)
People management (6% higher salary)
Technical writing (1% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field may be required. Web-based content providers prefer some HTML programming and layout education or experience.
Work schedule: Irregular hours may be expected
Content managers work with creative staff to develop and maintain materials used by websites, marketing campaigns, media aggregators, and other content channels. Their responsibilities include editing written material for appropriateness of tone, style, and subject matter; reviewing videos and podcasts, and contributing to the layout and graphic presentation of websites. A content manager may manage a creative team providing content in written, video, or audio form, as well as employing freelancers. In smaller organizations, the content manager may be responsible for creating most or all of the content. They help to establish and maintain content standards.
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Social Media Director
Base annual salary: $30,304-$121,340
National average annual salary: $57,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (2%)
1-4 years (43%)
5-9 years (37%)
10-19 years (16%)
20+ years (2%)
Popular skills: Social media marketing, marketing communications, social media optimization, strategic marketing, media/public relations
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (18% higher salary)
Marketing communications (16% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree or higher in marketing, communications, or a related field is required.
Work schedule: Regular business hours with some irregular hours to update social media accounts.
Companies employ social media directors to help build brand loyalty and awareness, develop a customer service strategy, and assist with increasing their market share. The social media director normally interacts with marketing, customer service, sales, and branding managers to help develop and implement a consistent and effective strategy for social media. The social media director is expected to consistently represent the company and its brands or services in direct communications with existing and potential customers.
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Social Media Marketing Manager
Base annual salary: $30,860-$77,117
National average annual salary: $45,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (4%)
1-4 years (63%)
5-9 years (27%)
10-19 years (5%)
20+ years (1%)
Popular skills: Social media marketing, marketing communications, social media optimization, online marketing, media/public relations
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (16% higher salary)
Copywriting (6% higher salary)
Social media marketing (4% higher salary)
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field is preferred.
Work schedule: Regular business hours, and some irregular hours to update social media accounts.
The social media marketing manager is responsible for a company’s online presence on social media platforms. Their work includes analyzing social trends, building brand awareness, and creating engaging social content. These managers must create an environment in which the company can successfully respond to questions and resolve issues or complaints from current and prospective customers. Social media managers could be required to blog for their company, and they may need to solicit and edit posts from other employees.
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Social Media Manager
Base annual salary: $30,653-$72,720
National average annual salary: $44,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (3%)
1-4 years (67%)
5-9 years (25%)
10-19 years (5%)
20+ years (0%)
Popular skills: Social media marketing, social media optimization, content management, blogging, marketing communications
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Strategic marketing (13% higher salary)
Project management (7% higher salary)
Web analytics (5% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Marketing Director, Digital Strategist
Educational requirements: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or a related field is required.
Social media managers are responsible for managing a brand’s social media pages, profiles, and websites. They must have strong communications skills in order to lead teams of media professionals in achieving social media objectives within given time-frames. Social media managers must work well in a team environment, as well as being able to work well independently with minimal supervision. They implement marketing campaigns to increase brand recognition and customer loyalty, serve as voices and liaisons for their organizations, supervise and approve creative content, and research new marketing techniques. Social media managers must be able to multitask with ease on a variety of projects and prioritize tasks depending on the company’s needs.
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Online Community Manager
Base annual salary: $32,510-$72,935
National average annual salary: $48,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (4%)
1-4 years (69%)
5-9 years (20%)
10-19 years (6%)
20+ years (1%)
Popular skills: Social media marketing, marketing communications, social media optimization, web content management, customer service
Skills correlated with salaries higher than the national average:
Copywriting (10% higher salary)
Project management (9% higher salary)
Media/public relations (9% higher salary)
Potential career progression: Social Media Manager, Digital Marketing Manager, Social Media Director
Educational requirements: Formal education in marketing and written communication required.
Work schedule: Regular hours or in shifts; some irregular hours for updating social media accounts may be required.
Online community managers are focused on interacting with customers and clients through various online channels, including social media platforms and user forums. Online community managers generally spend a lot of time working independently. They must also be skilled at marketing and mediation as they will often relay information related to new products, specials, or information from the marketing team to their online community.
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Social Media Coordinator
Base annual salary: $29,159-$50,424
National average annual salary: $36,000
Experience:
Less than 1 year (8%)
1-4 years (80%)
5-9