Some business owners may not have the time to focus on creating or implementing a sound marketing strategy. Hiring a marketing manager can allow organizations to focus on other areas of the business while ensuring their brand reaches new customers and retains current ones. A talented marketing manager can also help an organization pursue new ways to position itself in a competitive environment. Keep reading to learn about marketing manager careers and marketing manager salary insights.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) groups advertising, promotions and marketing managers together, some marketing manager duties differ from those of advertising and promotions managers. According to the BLS, marketing managers focus on estimating the demand for current and future products and services. They use this information to develop pricing strategies to help maximize profits, while keeping customer satisfaction in mind.

Marketing managers work across organizational departments, such as sales, public relations and product development. For example, a marketing manager who monitors industry trends may discover a need for a new product or service. Then they might help develop that product or service while creating a plan to market it.

According to the BLS, marketing manager duties often include:

Job descriptions of marketing manager careers may contain a combination of the duties listed above.

According to marketing manager data from O*NET OnLine, marketing managers work under many job titles while performing similar duties. Some sample job titles of marketing managers, as reported by O*NET, include account supervisor, brand manager, business development director, business development manager, market development executive, marketing director and product manager. While duties may be similar, each job title requires a different focus. 

Based on the titles O*NET listed, here are three marketing manager jobs that allow professionals to think creatively while helping to drive impact in their organizations: 

Brand managers make sure the organization’s message is consistent across products and platforms. For example, if a company intends to associate eco-friendly manufacturing with its products, a brand manager is responsible for maintaining consistent eco-friendly messaging in all communications.

Business development managers seek fresh opportunities to grow the organization. They focus on finding new customers by building relationships with businesses the company can serve. They also may explore ways to grow the organization by expanding current accounts. This could be a great marketing manager job if you enjoy meeting people and building relationships.

Product managers align consumer expectations with organizational objectives to help develop products that meet the needs of both groups. They work with a team of specialists to develop ideas and present them to consumers. 

Employment of marketing managers is expected to grow 8% from 2018 to 2028, which is faster than the average across all occupations, the BLS reports. That’s equivalent to 20,900 jobs. This growth is attributed to business’ continued need to maintain and expand market share, and increased use of digital media campaigns. The BLS notes those who can navigate digital marketing should have the best marketing manager career prospects. 

The median annual salary for marketing executives was $136,850 in May 2019, according to BLS data. The lowest-paid 10% earned $71,010 or less and the highest 10% made at least $208,000. However, marketing manager salaries vary by industry.¹

Per BLS data, below are the top-paying industries for marketing managers, based on 2019 annual mean wages. The industry with the highest marketing manager salary was cable and subscription programming.

The top-paying industries above had low concentrations of employment. Below are the industries with the highest concentration of employment for marketing managers.

The industries with the highest level of employment of marketing managers are listed below. The industry with the highest marketing manager salary in this group was computer systems design.

Marketing managers had the highest annual mean pay in the five metropolitan areas below, based on May 2019 BLS data about the best-paying metropolitan areas for these professionals.¹ San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, had the highest marketing manager salary of $199,710.

Other top-paying cities for marketing managers and their 2019 annual mean wages, as listed by the BLS, include:

Marketing managers earned the highest annual average salaries in the states below, according to the BLS, though these states don’t necessarily have the highest concentration of jobs.¹ For example, the top-paying states for marketing executives are New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Colorado and California.

The states with the highest concentration of jobs for marketing managers are Massachusetts, Illinois, Connecticut, the District of Columbia and Minnesota.

The states with the most marketing executives are California, Illinois, New York, Massachusetts and Texas.

Salary and employment data should also be factored into the average cost-of-living when deciding where to take your next marketing manager job.

It’s possible to turn your interest in marketing into a rewarding career. A marketing certificate or a degree in marketing can open the doors to an exciting profession that allows you to be creative and resourceful, while potentially enjoying a competitive salary.

¹ Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment Statistics: Marketing Managers,” May 2019, accessed August 2020.arrow_upwardReturn to footnote reference

Last Updated August 2020