Digital Marketing Salary: How Much Can You Earn in 2025?

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

This article provides salary trends and info as well as tips on how readers can improve their chances of earning their desired salary in this field.

[Featured image] A job candidate negotiates his digital marketing salary.

Digital marketers create marketing strategies to reach their audiences through digital platforms such as social media, email marketing, or SEO strategies. If you’re beginning your digital marketing job search or considering a new career in the field, you might be wondering how much digital marketers will make in 2025 and beyond.

Digital marketing salaries can vary from one role, company, or industry to another, especially considering the range of functions within digital marketing.

Learn more about what you can expect to earn for a variety of different digital marketing roles. Explore how different factors may impact your salary, discover how to increase your earning potential, and consider courses that may help you gain job-relevant skills.

Did you know that nearly every US industry has seen an increase in AI-related job postings? You can stay ahead of the curve and build job-ready skills by enrolling in Google's Digital Marketing & E-commerce Professional Certificate, which features practical AI training.

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Digital marketing salaries in 2025

The salary for digital marketing roles can vary considerably.

To help you get a better idea of how much you can earn, the table below includes average base salaries for manager roles corresponding to the top six channels marketers use to reach audiences. According to Hubspot’s 2023 State of Marketing report, the top channels include social media, web/blog, email marketing, content marketing, influencer marketing, and search engine optimization (SEO) marketing [1]. 

Top-paying companies hiring for these roles are sourced from Glassdoor as of December 2024 [2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]. 

RoleWhat They MakeWhat They DoTop-Paying Companies
Digital marketing manager$89,534Implements a company’s digital marketing strategies to reach target audiencesCisco, Amazon, Wpromote, LLC, Google
Social media manager$55,742Maintains a company’s social media presence and oversees social media marketing campaignsSelfemployed.com, Freelancer, Digital Media Management, Madwire
Blog manager$56,560Oversees a company’s blogging efforts, including writing blog content and optimizing the blog’s metadataHubstaff, Via Consulting, MOVE
Content manager$63,088Oversees the development of strategic content to inform and attract audiencesCengage Group, Crispin Porter, Amazon, Scorpion
Influencer marketing manager$117,862Builds influencer partnerships for a company and optimizes influencer marketing campaignsSelfEmployed.com, August United, 22squared, NIKE
SEO manager$77,290Oversees a company’s SEO practices and optimizes a site to attract more organic trafficScorpion, Wpromote, LLC, Digitas, Reprise

What factors affect your digital marketing salary?

As you discover how much you could earn in various digital marketing roles, you may want to consider factors that may affect your earning potential. These include: 

Education

For some digital marketing jobs, having a bachelor’s degree, graduate degree, or certifications in high-priority skills leads to a higher salary. According to Zippia, 76 percent of digital marketing specialists have a bachelor's degree, and 10 percent have a master's degree [8]. Relevant majors include business, marketing, communication, and public relations.

Experience

Your background in digital marketing may contribute to your earning potential. Experience may include employment, contract or freelance work, or even marketing your own business. 

Role 

Advanced positions in digital marketing, such as digital marketing manager, tend to command higher base salaries. Glassdoor reports the base salary of a digital market manager was $89,534 as of December 2024 [2].  Compare that to an entry-level or individual contributor position, such as a digital marketing specialist, which Glassdoor reported as earning a base salary of $61,897 [9].

Skills 

Having key digital marketing skills may make you a more attractive job candidate with higher earning potential. Be sure to read job descriptions for required and preferred skills. 

ZipRecruiter’s Career Keyword Mapper has identified that social media, Google Analytics, search engine optimization (SEO), innovation, and collaboration are among the top skills employers are listing in job descriptions as of December 2024 [10]

In addition, talk to recruiters and hiring managers about how your skill set might affect your salary offer.  

Company

Salaries will vary depending on a company’s size, marketing budget, and business goals. For example, Glassdoor estimates that companies like Amazon, Cisco Systems, and Disney offer digital marketing managers salaries above $100,000, while nonprofits like the YMCA and United Way offer salaries around $70,000 or $80,000 [2].

Industry 

Similarly, the industry you work in will impact your salary range. For example, Glassdoor reports that a digital marketing manager in financial services can make an average base salary of $146,803, while a digital marketing manager in transportation and logistics can make $126,662 as of December 2024 [2].

City 

Salaries tend to vary city by city. The five highest-paying cities for digital marketing managers, according to Zippia, include [11]:

  • San Francisco, CA: $114,747

  • Jersey City, NJ: $114,063

  • Detroit, MI: $108,549

  • Cleveland, OH: $106,784

  • Hartford, CT: $105,775

What is a digital marketing job?

In a digital marketing job, you’ll use various marketing strategies and digital channels to advertise a product or service, promote a brand or event, or reach a target audience. You may develop social media or email marketing campaigns or create digital content to reach potential customers on various platforms. Often, you’ll specialize in one marketing strategy, such as SEO or content writing, in your role. 

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4 digital marketing salary best practices 

As you conduct your job search and advance your digital marketing career, empower yourself with the following salary best practices. By taking consistent action, you may increase your earning potential and career options: 

1. Refine your job search methods.  

Research digital marketing job listings on a variety of career platforms to stay informed about the job market. Consider these questions to guide your research:  

  • What are the typical digital marketing salaries for this role?

  • What are the typical salaries in various industries? 

  • What companies are hiring for this role, and how do employees rate them on Glassdoor and other job sites? 

  • What can I learn about different companies from reviewing their social media profiles, websites, and customer reviews? 

2. Build skills and gain experience in digital marketing. 

Whether you’re looking for a job or professionalizing in your current role, it’s always a good idea to continue your digital marketing education. Doing so can lead to a more robust resume, higher salary, and greater exposure to organizations’ evolving needs.  

Common ways to continue your education include:

  • Taking courses

  • Getting certified

  • Downloading industry reports and other resources from digital marketing leaders 

  • Taking on freelance or contract work, such as designing an email marketing campaign or writing web copy

3. Build a digital marketing network. 

Having a solid network of fellow digital marketers can make it easier to discover career opportunities, learn about the latest industry trends, find a support system, and gather feedback on your digital marketing projects and endeavors. You may build your network in the following ways:

  • Follow content creators on social media and reach out to them with questions or ideas. 

  • Join professional organizations such as the American Marketing Association.

  • Attend conferences and networking events. 

  • Participate in online forums and discussion groups. 

  • Reach out to digital marketing course instructors and classmates. 

4. Monitor digital marketing trends. 

Industry trends in digital marketing are important to watch because they can signal shifts in consumer behavior and opportunities to market to consumers more effectively. For example, Hubspot’s Marketing Trends report indicates that short-form video content is the top-emerging trend of 2023 [1]. The report also shows that mobile searches account for more online traffic than tablets or desktops and that consumers connect with brands most often through social media. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

  • What connections are there between digital marketing trends, job openings across industries, and salaries? 

  • Are companies allocating more of their marketing budget to hire digital marketers with expertise in what’s trending? 

  • How might I discuss with my current employer ways our team can respond to trends and improve our marketing strategy

  • What marketing methods can I practice on my own, or when taking on a freelance project, to increase my value for employers? 

Build digital marketing skills with Coursera

Digital marketing uses techniques such as social media marketing, content marketing, and SEO to extend a company’s reach. Taking online courses can be a great way to learn more about digital marketing, discover career opportunities, and learn job-relevant skills. Become job-ready with skills such as SEO, SEM, email marketing, e-commerce, and more in the Google Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Professional Certificate.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Article sources

1

Hubspot. “State of Inbound Marketing Trends, https://www.hubspot.com/hubfs/2023%20State%20of%20Marketing%20Report.pdf.” Accessed December 10, 2024.

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