Salary data
Marketing Director 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 doesn't publish a separate figure for marketing directors, so this page shows the marketing managers occupation they're counted in, with the full range and state medians, and explains where directors usually sit within it.
Key takeaways
- BLS doesn't publish a separate figure for marketing directors, so marketing director pay on this page comes from the marketing managers occupation (11-2021).
- Marketing directors usually sit in the upper half of the marketing managers pay range because they run more people, channels and budget.
- Marketing director pay rises with reporting line, team and budget size, industry and city.
- BLS figures leave out year-end bonuses and equity, so a marketing director should negotiate those separately from base pay.
How much does a marketing director 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 marketing director roles?
BLS counts marketing directors with marketing managers (11-2021). It publishes occupations, not job titles, so a director, a head of marketing and a first-time manager all land in the same group. Directors usually earn more than the group’s median because they carry more scope: several channels, a team of managers, a budget they answer for. A reasonable read is the upper half of the range, toward the 75th percentile for a director at a mid-size company.
What affects marketing director pay?
Level and scope move pay more than anything else. After that:
- Reporting line: a director who reports to the CEO is closer to a VP in pay than one three levels down.
- Team and budget: the size of what you run is the most common way companies set director bands.
- Industry: B2B software and financial services pay above consumer goods and nonprofits.
- City: pay is higher in the largest metros; the state table below shows how much it varies.
Marketing director 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 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. Bringing up pay can feel awkward, but a number backed by public data is a normal, professional thing to discuss, and hiring managers expect the conversation. Put it in your own words and your own tone, say it once, then give them room to respond. Our salary negotiation guide covers what to say and when. Before your first call, write down your number and where it sits in the range above, so it’s ready when the question comes.
FAQ
Why is there no BLS figure for marketing director?
BLS surveys employers by occupation, and director is a level, not an occupation. Directors are counted with marketing managers, so the same figures cover both.
Do marketing directors earn more than marketing managers?
Usually, yes. They’re in the same BLS group, but directors tend to sit in its upper half because they run more: more people, more channels, a bigger budget.
What should a marketing director ask for in a negotiation?
Start from the posting’s range if there is one. If not, use the upper half of the BLS range as a sense check, and ask about bonus and equity separately, since BLS figures leave out year-end bonuses and equity.
Is “director of marketing” paid the same as “marketing director”?
Yes, it’s the same job with the words in a different order, and BLS counts both in marketing managers. Titles such as head of marketing, director of digital marketing or director of marketing and communications also land in the same group; what moves pay is scope, not wording. Our head of marketing guide explains how that title differs in practice.
What salary negotiation strategies work for a marketing director?
Negotiate on the package, not just the base. Anchor with the posting’s range or the upper half of the BLS range, tie your ask to the scope you’ll carry (team, budget, revenue target), and raise bonus, equity, title and start date as separate items. BLS wage figures are straight-time pay that leaves out nonproduction bonuses, so total pay at director level can be well above the table. The salary negotiation guide and counter offer letter templates have the wording; adapt it to how you’d actually talk to this person.