Marketing Specialist Salary

Created by Henry Steele

By Henry Steele - January 8, 2018
Reading Time: 10 minutes
Reading Time: 10 minutes

The following article discusses the career path of Marketing Specialist. Learn about how to become one, education requirements, job duties, traits and qualities, national salary outlook as well as top national employers of Marketing Specialists.

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Job Duties

Marketing specialists ensure that the company makes use of the best way to advertise its services and products to the market. How they do this varies widely depending on the company. They may work for a single brand or even a single product, whereas others take on a certain area of a huge marketing campaign, while being directed by the marketing manager.

One of the main elements of a marketing specialist’s job is to find out how products and services are currently marketed and where, and how that can be improved upon. They ensure that they find the right type of media to reach the target demographic and audience, while at the same time staying within budget. They work with brand and product managers to determine the best way to reach prospective customers and assist in developing the actual content of the marketing campaign. This includes billboards, radio and television commercials, and web advertisements to name but a few. Typically, they come up with content ideas and then liaise with creative departments in order to turn their vision into reality.

Other job duties of a marketing specialist include:

– Analyzing data from past and current marketing campaigns to determine the direction of the company’s marketing strategy

  • Making sure that the way marketing is handled is aligned with the brand, mission, and vision of the company
  • Researching current customer demand and how this can be increased
  • Helping in creating and developing new marketing materials, including presentations, recommendations, and other plans

Where We Work

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 31,300 advertising, promotions, and marketing managers in 2016. The largest employers of these professionals were:

  • Advertising, public relations, and related services: 34%
  • Information: 12%
  • Management of companies and enterprises: 7%
  • Wholesale trade: 6%
  • Retail trade: 6%

How to Become

A bachelor’s degree in marketing or advertising or field related to it is typically the minimum requirement for marketing specialists. Employers also look for those with direct marketing experience. Usually, someone will start by taking on an entry level position within a large marketing department, where they will gain the necessary experience. They then get promoted internally, gradually taking on greater responsibilities.

Education Requirements

A bachelor’s degree is generally the minimum requirement for a marketing specialist, as is proven experience in sales, promotions, marketing, and/or advertising. It is generally expected that marketing specialists have also completed courses in areas such as statistics, mathematics, computer science, finance, economics, management, and business law. This ensures that they are able to stay abreast of modern technological developments and how these influence the way in which marketing efforts have to be delivered. Using social media and online forms of communication, for instance, is a key element of this.

Work experience is equally important. Most marketing specialists come from a background in marketing, promotions, or advertising. They may also have been sales representatives, public relations specialist, purchasing agents, or buyers who got promoted.

Traits & Qualities

The most effective marketing specialists have the following traits to some degree or other:

  • Strong analytical skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Presentation skills
  • Creativity
  • Decision making skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills
  • Great organizational skills

Minimum Education

Bachelor’s Degree

National Salary

The national average salary estimate for Marketing Specialist was $52,815. This number is estimated from over 1,035,124 employees, users past and present job advertisements from Indeed.com. This equates to an hourly salary of $27.51 and monthly of $4,401.

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$14,000

$118,000

Salary Distribution

Salary by State

The following section lists Marketing Specialist salaries in each state around the country. The figures are based on the total number of job postings through Indeed.com. For example, DC had the largest quoted salary of $65,668 while Kansas had the smallest quoted salary of $24,000.

ArkansasIdahoMississippiRhode Island
ArizonaIllinoisNorth CarolinaSouth Carolina
CaliforniaIndianaNorth DakotaSouth Dakota
ColoradoKansasNew HampshireTennessee
ConnecticutKentuckyNew JerseyTexas
DCMassachusettsNevadaUtah
DelawareMarylandNew YorkVirginia
FloridaMaineOhioVermont
GeorgiaMichiganOklahomaWashington
HawaiiMinnesotaOregonWisconsin
IowaMissouriPennsylvania
Arkansas$43,171Rank: 30th
The average salary ranks 30th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Air Fusion Plus.

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$14,000

$104,000

Salary Distribution
Arizona$49,800Rank: 14th
The average salary ranks 14th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Career Evolutions, Creative Circle, TEEMA Solutions Group Inc., and KV Group LLC.

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$14,000

$106,000

Salary Distribution
California$58,064Rank: 4th
The average salary ranks 4th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank, Nigel Frank International, Mason Frank International, and Aerotek.

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$14,000

$136,000

Salary Distribution
Colorado$49,626Rank: 15th
The average salary ranks 15th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like CyberCoders, Department of Agriculture, The Creative Group, and Creative Circle.

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$14,000

$107,000

Salary Distribution
Connecticut$37,401Rank: 35th
The average salary ranks 35th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tribune Company, Keystaff Inc, Mindlance, and competitive.

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$7.25

$51.55

Salary Distribution
DC$65,668Rank: 1st
The average salary ranks 1st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Internal Revenue Service, United States Postal Service, Mason Frank, and HireKeep.

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$20,000

$137,000

Salary Distribution
Delaware$34,886Rank: 37th
The average salary ranks 37th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The Creative Group and Sungevity.

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$7.25

$40.50

Salary Distribution
Florida$48,816Rank: 19th
The average salary ranks 19th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Revolution Technologies, Tribune Company, Mason Frank, and Mason Frank International.

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$14,000

$105,000

Salary Distribution
Georgia$52,874Rank: 11th
The average salary ranks 11th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank, Creative Circle, Mason Frank International, and Principle Solutions Group.

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$14,000

$129,000

Salary Distribution
Hawaii$53,568Rank: 9th
The average salary ranks 9th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like U.S. Army, Hawaii Medical Service Association, Datamatics Global Services Ltd, and Remi Collections, LLC DBA Bundle Monster.

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$7.25

$70.05

Salary Distribution
Iowa$39,331Rank: 33rd
The average salary ranks 33rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Energy Doctor Inc, gpac, and The University of Iowa.

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$14,000

$113,000

Salary Distribution
Idaho$29,126Rank: 41st
The average salary ranks 41st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Select Staffing.

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$7.25

$38.35

Salary Distribution
Illinois$55,277Rank: 7th
The average salary ranks 7th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tribune Company, Mason Frank, Mason Frank International, and WunderLand Group.

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$18,000

$113,000

Salary Distribution
Indiana$46,820Rank: 25th
The average salary ranks 25th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like EC Goshen and The Marcus Teamer Agency.

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$14,000

$108,000

Salary Distribution
Kansas$24,000Rank: 43rd
The average salary ranks 43rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like American Exteriors LLC, WOODBRIDGE HOME EXTERIORS, and Jeff Sears Agency-American Family Insurance.

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$7.25

$25.35

Salary Distribution
Kentucky$47,377Rank: 22nd
The average salary ranks 22nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Kentucky.

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$14,000

$100,000

Salary Distribution
Massachusetts$57,168Rank: 5th
The average salary ranks 5th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The MathWorks, Mason Frank, Mondo, and Mason Frank International.

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$21,000

$110,000

Salary Distribution
Maryland$52,965Rank: 10th
The average salary ranks 10th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tribune Company, Swift Software, Inc., TEKsystems, and National Association of Community Health Centers.

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$14,000

$123,000

Salary Distribution
Maine$46,949Rank: 24th
The average salary ranks 24th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Delhaize America (Hannaford).

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$18,000

$89,000

Salary Distribution
Michigan$47,425Rank: 21st
The average salary ranks 21st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like The DAKO Group, The Right Hire, CyberCoders, and Creative Circle.

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$14,000

$106,000

Salary Distribution
Minnesota$46,266Rank: 27th
The average salary ranks 27th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Creative Circle, Robert Half The Creative Group, The Creative Group, and Window Concepts of MN.

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$14,000

$122,000

Salary Distribution
Missouri$47,303Rank: 23rd
The average salary ranks 23rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like SBM Management, Creative Circle, and The Creative Group.

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$17,000

$93,000

Salary Distribution
Mississippi$49,424Rank: 16th
The average salary ranks 16th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Liberty National Bradley Gray and RPM Pizza.

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$15,000

$102,000

Salary Distribution
North Carolina$35,750Rank: 36th
The average salary ranks 36th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank International, Groupe LEADER, AppleOne, and Creative Circle.

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$7.25

$41.30

Salary Distribution
North Dakota$40,263Rank: 32nd
The average salary ranks 32nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Volt.

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$14,000

$85,000

Salary Distribution
New Hampshire$39,187Rank: 34th
The average salary ranks 34th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Creative Circle, Randstad, and Staff Hunters.

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$8.15

$38.05

Salary Distribution
New Jersey$58,874Rank: 3rd
The average salary ranks 3rd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank, Volvo, International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE), and Ajilon.

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$19,000

$119,000

Salary Distribution
Nevada$32,601Rank: 39th
The average salary ranks 39th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Logical Position, Next Century Publishing, NCR, and AppleOne.

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$7.25

$32.20

Salary Distribution
New York$60,810Rank: 2nd
The average salary ranks 2nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank, The ONeil Search Group, Mason Frank International, and Access Staffing LLC.

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$19,000

$126,000

Salary Distribution
Ohio$46,688Rank: 26th
The average salary ranks 26th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Weed Man Turf Ops, Mason Frank International, Mason Frank, and U.S. Air Force.

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$14,000

$115,000

Salary Distribution
Oklahoma$42,680Rank: 31st
The average salary ranks 31st among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like University of Oklahoma and University of Central Oklahoma.

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$14,000

$107,000

Salary Distribution
Oregon$50,732Rank: 13th
The average salary ranks 13th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Portland Community College, Yak Social, Creative Circle, and Logical Position.

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$18,000

$100,000

Salary Distribution
Pennsylvania$47,669Rank: 20th
The average salary ranks 20th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank International, Tribune Company, Mason Frank, and International Cruise & Excursions, Inc. (ICE).

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$14,000

$101,000

Salary Distribution
Rhode Island$45,158Rank: 28th
The average salary ranks 28th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Marcum Search LLC, Jump Design Studio, and Manpower.

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$7.25

$56.40

Salary Distribution
South Carolina$24,518Rank: 42nd
The average salary ranks 42nd among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like FGP International, Perceptive Recruiting, The Creative Group, and RE/MAX.

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$7.25

$28.20

Salary Distribution
South Dakota$29,625Rank: 40th
The average salary ranks 40th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Adecco.

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$7.75

$23.35

Salary Distribution
Tennessee$49,265Rank: 18th
The average salary ranks 18th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like FedEx, Schneider Electric, Equity First, and The Creative Group.

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$14,000

$112,000

Salary Distribution
Texas$54,512Rank: 8th
The average salary ranks 8th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Technology Recruiting Solutions,Inc., Mason Frank, CyberCoders, and Mason Frank International.

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$17,000

$112,000

Salary Distribution
Utah$33,158Rank: 38th
The average salary ranks 38th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Black Slate Strategies, Foxtail Marketing, IMD, and OfficeTeam.

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$7.25

$52.95

Salary Distribution
Virginia$52,611Rank: 12th
The average salary ranks 12th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Tribune Company, Elite Transpo, The Creative Group, and AppleOne.

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$19,000

$103,000

Salary Distribution
Vermont$43,315Rank: 29th
The average salary ranks 29th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Spherion.

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$7.25

$57.15

Salary Distribution
Washington$55,441Rank: 6th
The average salary ranks 6th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Amazon.com, CyberCoders, AppleOne, and Creative Circle.

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$14,000

$125,000

Salary Distribution
Wisconsin$49,265Rank: 17th
The average salary ranks 17th among states in the country. There were also job openings from employers like Mason Frank, Mason Frank International, CyberCoders, and University of Wisconsin.

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$15,000

$102,000

Salary Distribution

Top 20 National Employers

According to Indeed.com, the following states had employers looking to hire a Marketing Specialist. The quoted salary figure represents the average salary from all job postings by this employer.

Employer NameLocationAverage Salary

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Related Careers

Career NameAverage Salary

Henry Steele
Managing Editor
Henry is Managing Editor of BusinessStudent.com. He is a seasoned business professional who regularly consults with local business's throughout Southern California. Henry pursued his undergrad in Business and Economics at the University of San Diego and gained valuable life changing experience through a unique internship upon graduation.

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