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Advertising Workers

Earnings

Salaries of advertising workers vary depending on the type of work, the size of the agency, its geographic location, the kind of accounts handled, and the agency's gross earnings. Salaries are also determined by a worker's education, aptitude, and experience. The wide range of jobs in advertising makes it difficult to estimate average salaries for all positions.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports that the median annual earnings for advertising and promotions managers in May 2023 were $131,870. For marketing managers the median was $157,620. Sales managers made $135,160 per year, and public relations managers earned $134,760. The lowest paid 10 percent of advertising and promotions managers made less than $63,580, while the highest paid marketing managers earned $188,530 or more.

The DOL reports that advertising sales agents earned a median salary of $61,270 in May 2023, with the highest paid 10 percent making more than $133,150. Media planners earned salaries that ranged from less than $51,657 to $120,925 or more in June 2024, according to Salary.com. At that time, earnings for media buyers ranged from less than $41,000 to more than $75,000, according to PayScale.

Salaries for relatively glamorous jobs at agencies can be low, due to high competition. In advertising departments at other businesses and industries, individual earnings vary widely. Salaries of advertising workers are generally higher, however, at consumer product firms than at industrial product organizations because of the competition among consumer product producers. The majority of companies offer insurance benefits, a retirement plan, and other incentives and bonuses.