The best paying jobs in advertising are great job opportunities with high annual salaries. Advertising careers are a rewarding way for you to use your analytical skills, communication skills, and creativity. Advertising, especially digital marketing, has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic to offer competitive salaries to skilled professionals.
Advertising salaries are relatively high, especially for management-level positions. In this article, we’ll share what advertising jobs pay, with details about education requirements and advertising salaries for 10 common advertising jobs.
What Do Advertising Jobs Pay?
The median annual wage for a market research analyst is $65,810, and that’s just an entry-level position. Higher-level positions pay more. For example, the median annual wage for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is $141,490. There is a wide range of advertising jobs available, from graphic designers who create visual advertisements to analysts who use data to target a specific audience.
Advertising Job Outlook
Advertising is an in-demand field with lots of job opportunities. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts a 10 percent rate of job growth for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers, which is higher than the average for all occupations in the US.
Advertising Job Satisfaction
Advertising jobs, especially in the digital marketing field, are among the happiest careers. While employee job satisfaction is different depending on the company culture, on average, digital marketing professionals rated their work-life balance as 3.9 out of five stars.
Advertising Salaries: Lucrative Advertising Careers
| Advertising Careers | Advertising Salaries | Job Outlook | Minimum Education |
|---|---|---|---|
| User Experience (UX) Director | $142,197 | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Design or Computer Science |
| Marketing Manager | $142,170* | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Communications |
| Advertising Manager | $141,490* | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Advertising or Journalism |
| Promotions Manager | $141,490* | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Business Administration |
| Public Relations Manager | $134,120* | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Communications |
| Sales Manager | $134,120* | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing |
| Art Director | $97,270 | 11% | Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts or Graphic Design |
| Product Marketing Manager | $93,738 | 10%* | Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Product Management |
| Market Research Analyst | $65,810 | 22% | Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Communications |
| Public Relations Specialist | $62,810 | 11% | Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations or Communications |
*Job growth and pay information was sourced from the BLS listing for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers
Best-Paying Jobs in Advertising: In Detail
User Experience (UX) Director
- Average Salary: $142,197
A user experience (UX) director supervises all stages of the customer experience to make sure users have a fantastic experience with the product or service. They also conduct market research and study consumer feedback to help the company make a more user-friendly product. If you have an interest in both tech and marketing, you should consider this position.
Marketing Manager
- Average Salary: $142,170
Marketing managers lead a team of marketing and advertising experts to build brand awareness and drive sales. A marketing manager is not an entry-level position, so you’ll need several years of extensive experience in advertising or marketing before you apply. Your primary duties in this career in marketing could give you enough experience to put you in charge of marketing efforts for huge companies like Apple or Google.
Advertising Manager
- Average Salary: $141,490
Advertising managers typically work at advertising agencies and manage accounts for companies using the advertising agency’s services. Advertising managers identify what type of services a company needs, and they coordinate with the company to create a customized marketing strategy for all channels.
Promotions Manager
- Average Salary: $141,940
Promotions managers focus on promoting new products or businesses. They lead teams of marketing specialists and sales specialists to create a marketing program on many platforms that will reach the target audience. A lot of this work takes place online, and promotions managers need to be up-to-date on the social media trends.
Public Relations Manager
- Average Salary: $134,120
Public relations (PR) managers oversee media activities that help brands create a positive public image. They are part of a PR team that reports to a PR director to generate press releases, get speaking opportunities, and make social media campaigns. They support businesses in creating brand awareness and visibility by establishing relations with credible media organizations.
Sales Manager
- Average Salary: $134,120
Sales managers help businesses analyze sales and develop a strategy to compete with businesses selling similar products. They oversee a team of salespeople and are responsible for keeping revenue from sales high.
Art Director
- Average Salary: $97,270
An art director takes concepts from the advertising team and turns them into visuals using photographs and art. They might create new graphic designs or curate found images. They work closely with advertising and marketing specialists to revise their work until fits the company’s aesthetic.
Product Marketing Manager
- Average Salary: $93,738
Product marketing managers build marketing and sales strategies for each product, including identifying the target audience. They try to build a brand around a single product and make it attractive to consumers. Their role is similar to product managers, but product marketing managers focus on the marketing aspect of a product.
Market Research Analyst
- Average Salary: $65,810
A Market Research Analyst studies markets and consumer behavior by designing consumer surveys and collecting sales data. They use past sales data to try and forecast potential sales or suggest new products, and they share this information by creating graphs and other data visualizations. If you love working with data, this is a great position for you.
Public Relations Specialist
- Average Salary: $62,810
Public relations specialists work on a team run by a Public Relations Manager to evaluate and create content that is consistent with the company’s PR goals. This can include preparing press releases and speeches for executives, researching public opinion, and reading through all advertising and marketing campaigns to make sure they fit the company’s brand.
Resources to Find the Best-Paying Jobs in Advertising
- Check with your college’s career center. If you are still in college or just recently graduated, you can use the resources at your college’s career center to find a job and prepare your application. Many colleges also host career fairs with entry-level job opportunities with students.
- Go to a local career fair. Both government and private institutions hold career fairs to help employers meet potential employees. Find one in your area and meet recruiters hiring for advertising jobs. Bring copies of your resume and portfolio.
- Attend a bootcamp. Update your resume with new education credentials for your dream career. Digital marketing bootcamps are a quick way to learn new skills and create a portfolio.
- Join LinkedIn: Many advertising agencies rely on LinkedIn to recruit and vet skilled talent. You can use LinkedIn’s job search feature to look for new jobs, or reach out to your professional contacts to see if they know anyone who is hiring.
- Browse company websites. Make a list of all the advertising agencies or media companies where you want to work. Check the career page on their official website weekly to see when new jobs are posted.
Is Advertising a Good Career Path?
Yes, advertising is a fast growing industry with a wide range of high-paying careers. In many advertising careers, you can look forward to a six-figure salary once you advance past entry-level jobs. With a broad range of jobs, there is an advertising career for all kinds of people, whether you are a creative person or an analytical person.
Most people begin their advertising career with a college degree in marketing, communications, data analysis, or finance. If you don’t have a bachelor’s degree in one of these fields, consider an online degree program.
Best Paying Jobs in Advertising FAQ
Yes, advertising jobs do pay well. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the median annual salary for advertising, promotions, and marketing managers is $141,490. Advertising jobs related to digital marketing pay even more.
You will need a Bachelor’s Degree or an Associate Degree in Marketing, Communication, or a related subject to get an entry-level job in advertising. Some employers accept a certificate from an online bootcamp to meet education requirements.
It isn’t hard to get a job in advertising, but there is competition in the job market for these high-paying jobs. If you don’t have any previous experience in advertising, consider an advertising internship to build skills. Any additional training in presentation skills, analytical skills, or organizational skills will also improve your chances in the job market.
An advertising career can be fast-paced with lots of deadlines, which can be stressful. The amount of stress also depends on the corporate culture of the company you work for, so it’s a good idea to research the company before you accept a job.
About us: Career Karma is a platform designed to help job seekers find, research, and connect with job training programs to advance their careers. Learn about the CK publication.
