Marketing specialist pay by city
Across the 50 largest US metros, typical marketing specialist pay ranges from $62,190 in Birmingham, AL to $141,960 in San Jose, CA. After taxes and local prices, it goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (occupation: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, SOC 13-1161).
| Rank | Metro | Typical pay | Worth after taxes and prices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $141,960 | $90,000 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $123,250 | $76,400 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $102,170 | $72,600 |
| 4 | Denver, CO | $99,040 | $70,700 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $102,390 | $70,100 |
| 6 | Minneapolis, MN | $97,910 | $69,300 |
| 7 | Austin, TX | $80,460 | $66,700 |
| 8 | Charlotte, NC | $82,930 | $66,200 |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $77,240 | $65,600 |
| 10 | Providence, RI | $83,960 | $64,200 |
| 11 | Memphis, TN | $71,600 | $64,200 |
| 12 | Richmond, VA | $81,660 | $63,700 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $100,520 | $63,200 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, FL | $76,740 | $63,100 |
| 15 | Raleigh, NC | $78,980 | $62,900 |
| 16 | Columbus, OH | $77,010 | $62,600 |
| 17 | Cincinnati, OH | $75,750 | $62,300 |
| 18 | Buffalo, NY | $75,990 | $61,400 |
| 19 | Kansas City, MO | $72,580 | $61,300 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $75,210 | $61,200 |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | $74,670 | $61,200 |
| 22 | Atlanta, GA | $79,030 | $60,900 |
| 23 | St. Louis, MO | $74,130 | $60,700 |
| 24 | Washington, DC | $87,160 | $60,300 |
| 25 | Milwaukee, WI | $73,880 | $60,100 |
| 26 | Dallas, TX | $75,240 | $59,900 |
| 27 | Cleveland, OH | $71,350 | $59,700 |
| 28 | Hartford, CT | $78,220 | $59,500 |
| 29 | Chicago, IL | $80,400 | $59,400 |
| 30 | Orlando, FL | $72,860 | $59,300 |
| 31 | Portland, OR | $85,350 | $58,900 |
| 32 | San Antonio, TX | $65,950 | $58,300 |
| 33 | Detroit, MI | $77,100 | $58,000 |
| 34 | Philadelphia, PA | $79,420 | $57,800 |
| 35 | Phoenix, AZ | $74,590 | $57,700 |
| 36 | Sacramento, CA | $78,630 | $57,200 |
| 37 | Houston, TX | $67,370 | $57,000 |
| 38 | Miami, FL | $78,990 | $56,400 |
| 39 | Los Angeles, CA | $82,990 | $56,100 |
| 40 | Oklahoma City, OK | $63,160 | $56,000 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | $69,560 | $55,800 |
| 42 | San Diego, CA | $79,440 | $55,000 |
| 43 | Indianapolis, IN | $65,200 | $53,700 |
| 44 | Baltimore, MD | $74,620 | $53,400 |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | $63,280 | $53,200 |
| 46 | Grand Rapids, MI | $64,880 | $53,200 |
| 47 | Birmingham, AL | $62,190 | $53,100 |
| 48 | Riverside, CA | $69,840 | $52,200 |
| 49 | Pittsburgh, PA | $63,190 | $51,800 |
| 50 | Salt Lake City, UT | $64,670 | $50,800 |
“Worth” is take-home pay at the typical salary (single filer, 2026 income taxes), divided by local prices, so every city is in the same typical-US-city dollars.
Common questions
Which city pays marketing specialists the most?
Before taxes, San Jose, CA has the highest typical marketing specialist pay among the 50 largest US metros: $141,960 a year. The lowest is Birmingham, AL at $62,190. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Where does marketing specialist pay go furthest after cost of living?
After federal, state, and local income taxes and local prices, typical marketing specialist pay goes furthest in San Jose, CA, San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA. It goes the least far in Salt Lake City, UT, where it's worth about $50,800 in typical-US-city dollars.