Salary data
CMO Salary (May 2025 BLS Data)
The median annual pay for marketing managers in the US is $166,790, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $293,610. BLS has no figure for chief marketing officers. This page shows the nearest occupation, marketing managers, and explains why a CMO's pay sits at the very top of that range or above it once bonus and equity are counted.
Key takeaways
- The median annual pay for marketing managers in the US is $166,790, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025); the top 10% earn more than $293,610.
- BLS has no chief marketing officer figure, so CMO pay is closest to the top of the marketing managers range (11-2021) or above it.
- At large public companies most of a CMO's total pay is bonus and equity, which BLS wage data doesn't include.
- For a public company's CMO, the proxy statement filed with the SEC is the most accurate public source when the CMO is a named executive officer.
- A fractional CMO is paid by retainer rather than salary, so the BLS figures don't describe that pay.
How much does a CMO make?
The median annual pay for marketing managers in the US is $166,790. The middle half earn between $123,020 and $216,410, and the top 10% earn more than $293,610. About 395,240 people work in this occupation.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Occupation 11-2021.
The pay range for marketing managers
Read the range, not only the median. Half of everyone in the group earns between the 25th and 75th percentile.
| Pay level | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $90,260 |
| 25th percentile | $123,020 |
| Median | $166,790 |
| 75th percentile | $216,410 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $293,610 |
| Mean (average) | $177,770 |
US, all industries. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
Which BLS figure covers CMO roles?
BLS doesn’t publish CMO pay. The nearest occupation is marketing managers (11-2021), which covers everyone from a first-time manager to a VP. A CMO’s base pay usually sits at the top of that range or past it, and at large public companies total pay is mostly bonus and equity, which BLS wage data doesn’t include. Treat this page as the floor of the conversation, not the answer. For public companies, the most accurate source is the company’s own proxy statement, which discloses pay for the top executives when a CMO is among them.
What affects CMO pay?
Level and scope move pay more than anything else. After that:
- Company size: the gap between a startup CMO and a Fortune 500 CMO is very wide.
- Public or private: public companies pay more in equity and disclose it; private companies vary widely.
- Scope: a CMO who also owns product, sales or growth is usually paid more than one who runs brand and comms.
- Track record: at this level pay follows results you can point to more than years in the job.
CMO salary by state
The median for marketing managers varies a lot by state, mostly with the cost of living and where the employers are. The table runs from highest to lowest.
| State | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $212,020 |
| California | $193,620 |
| Virginia | $187,820 |
| Colorado | $182,730 |
| New York | $181,200 |
| New Jersey | $180,040 |
| District of Columbia | $177,170 |
| Minnesota | $173,300 |
| Washington | $172,270 |
| Connecticut | $169,240 |
| South Dakota | $167,750 |
| Montana | $165,580 |
| North Carolina | $165,480 |
| Illinois | $162,860 |
| Wyoming | $161,580 |
| Oregon | $161,560 |
| Georgia | $160,760 |
| Kansas | $154,510 |
| Maryland | $154,160 |
| Pennsylvania | $150,810 |
| Texas | $147,880 |
| South Carolina | $143,290 |
| New Hampshire | $143,280 |
| Florida | $142,620 |
| Idaho | $142,090 |
| Utah | $139,830 |
| Michigan | $138,510 |
| Arkansas | $136,520 |
| Indiana | $136,260 |
| Maine | $135,380 |
| Wisconsin | $133,600 |
| Ohio | $132,330 |
| Arizona | $132,220 |
| Tennessee | $131,990 |
| Iowa | $131,120 |
| Missouri | $130,550 |
| Kentucky | $128,930 |
| Oklahoma | $126,920 |
| North Dakota | $125,580 |
| New Mexico | $122,980 |
| Louisiana | $120,650 |
| Alabama | $120,160 |
| Hawaii | $117,770 |
| Alaska | $116,270 |
| Nebraska | $110,570 |
| Nevada | $107,550 |
| Mississippi | $100,940 |
| West Virginia | $98,750 |
Highest first. States BLS doesn't publish a median for are left out. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
How much do CMOs make at startups and as fractional CMOs?
Startup CMO pay usually mixes a lower base salary with more equity than a large company offers, so compare the whole package, not the base. How much the equity is worth depends on the company’s stage and outcome, which is why it’s worth asking about the latest valuation and your share of the company before you accept.
A fractional CMO works part-time for several companies and is usually paid a monthly retainer per client rather than a salary. BLS doesn’t track that pay. What is a fractional CMO? covers how those engagements are scoped and priced.
How to use this in a salary negotiation
Use the range to anchor, not to argue. Find where the role sits: an entry-level coordinator belongs near the 25th percentile, a senior lead running a team and budget near the 75th or above. Then check the posting, since a growing number of states require employers to publish a pay range. If the posting’s range and the BLS range disagree, the posting wins: it’s the budget for this job. The BLS figure is still useful when there’s no range at all, or when you’re asked for your number first. Our salary negotiation guide covers what to say and when. If talking about money makes you uneasy, that’s common, and a sourced number is what makes it a normal business conversation. Practice your number out loud, in your own words, before the call.
FAQ
Why doesn’t BLS publish CMO salaries?
BLS groups jobs by occupation. Chief marketing officer is a title within marketing management, so CMOs are counted with marketing managers, and the top of that range is the closest public figure.
Where can I find a specific company’s CMO pay?
If the company is public and the CMO is one of its named executive officers, their pay is in the company’s annual proxy statement, filed with the SEC. Many CMOs aren’t among the named officers, so it isn’t always there.
How is CMO pay structured?
Usually base salary, an annual bonus tied to company or marketing goals, and equity. At larger companies the bonus and equity often outweigh the base.
What does a CMO actually do?
A CMO sets the marketing strategy, owns the budget and the brand, leads the marketing team and answers to the CEO for growth. The CMO job description covers the responsibilities and how they change with company size.
What is the average CMO salary?
The average shown in the table is for all marketing managers, not CMOs. Because BLS has no CMO figure, use the top rows of the range as the floor for a CMO conversation, and the company’s own disclosures or the posting’s range for the specific role.