Internet Marketing and Advertising Consultants

Internet marketing and advertising consultants' earnings vary widely depending on their geographic location, type of company they work for, and their experience and reputation. Beginning consultants may make about $30,000 per year, while many consultants earn around $60,000 annually. Some consultants have salaries that exceed $100,000 a year. The U.S. Department of Labor says that advertising and promotions managers (whether Internet professionals or traditional marketing professionals) earned a median salary of $131,870 in May 2023. The lowest paid workers in this category earned less than $63,580, and the highest paid received more than $239,200. Marketing managers earned a median salary of $157,620.

Search engine marketing specialists earned median annual salaries of $71,058 in 2025, according to ZipRecruiter.com. Salaries ranged from less than $25,500 to $105,000 or more.

Many independent consultants charge by the hour, with fees ranging from $45 to well above $100 an hour. Consultants who work on contract must estimate the hours needed to complete the project and their rate of pay when determining their contract price. Independent consultants must also realize that not all their work time is "billable," meaning that time spent on general office work, record keeping, billing, maintaining current client contacts, and seeking new business does not generate revenue. This nonbillable time must be factored into contract or hourly rates when determining annual income.

Although independent consultants may generate good contract or hourly fees, they do not receive benefits that may be typical of salaried employees. For example, independent consultants are responsible for their own medical, disability, and life insurance. They do not receive vacation pay, and when they are not working, they are not generating income. Retirement plans must also be self-funded and self-directed.