Salaries in Advertising & Marketing

I asked what specific metrics I needed to hit for a promotion, and the answer was pretty vague about “continued impact” and “team contribution.” I left feeling like the goalposts weren’t clear.
Was I w… more

I know 27 is not that old, but it feels old enough to be able to live on your own accord and be able to afford the simple luxuries of life. How do you survive in a high-cost-of-living city on an entry… more

I did the math. A friend stayed with one agency from 2020 to 2025. Salary went from $60k to $72k through standard 3-4% annual bumps. Another friend jumped agencies three times in that same period. She went … more

Who on here accepted a counter-offer to stay, and how long did it take until you quit?

Statistics say 80% of people who accept a counter-offer leave within 6 months anyway. If you took the money to sta… more

Anyone that’s doing freelancing on the side, how did you find your first customers? Through your personal/professional network, on a freelancing site, your own site, socials?

If a job posting in 2026 still doesn't have a salary range, I assume they are hiding a terrible number. If a US recruiter asks for your "salary expectations" first, what is your go-to sc… more

my coworker just got hired externally into a role one level above mine. i trained her two years ago.
i'm not even mad at her. i'm mad that she knew something i didn't — that the only way up here … more

What’s the biggest salary jump you’ve ever made by switching companies versus waiting for a promotion? Jumping hasn't been harder with the current job market looking as bleak as it is, but I also … more

Is it common to find out your new hire is making almost as much as you because of market adjustments? I understand having to be competitive with pay but I still can't see through how an entry-leve… more

I turned down a project that would have meant working nights for two weeks straight with no additional compensation. My manager seemed surprised and said it was a “great visibility opportunity.”
Was I … more

If you're a freelancer, do you change your rates according to the project? I have a certain rate on my profile, but I change it depending on the complexity of the job, and I'm not sure if that… more

Got promoted last month. 10% raise brought me to $104K. Still hourly.
I've been in advertising for 6 years. Salaried market rate for my level runs $130K+. My company celebrated this like a win. I smiled … more

Which marketing/advertising tools or platforms had the biggest impact on your salary growth? What role were you in before and after? Curious what tools I should prioritize in order to grow my salary f… more

I’m interviewing for an internal role in the DTC space. I’m at manager level and the role is senior manager but same pay band. I have no idea how, but there is another 25k above my salary in the pay band. The HR … more

A colleague left our agency for a brand-side role two years ago. Came back recently — same title I have, same team. She's making $145K. I'm at $118K after 4 years here.
The math is wild: she got a $27K rai… more

What are the differences in salaries for client-facing vs back-end roles? I am an analyst and prefer to work on my own individual projects and not interact with the client as much, but I know that acc… more

Just referred a friend for an open role at my agency. She got the offer. I get $3,000.
She's coming in at $15K more than I'm making in the same title.
So my company will pay me to recruit someone they'l… more

How much do you thing education or certification boosts salary in this field? I am currently getting my master’s and am wondering how much of a pay increase I am likely to get from this time and finan… more

I just found out that a new hire with less experience is making $10k more than me. How would you approach this conversation with HR? I love my team, but the math just isn't mathing right now, and … more

Paid search gets the conversion. Brand gets cut.
Last-click and data-driven models over-credit bottom-funnel spend because it's measurable and CFOs like clean stories. The awareness campaign that put your bran… more

Is brands building in-house teams vs an agency heavy model a pendulum that swings back and forth? How should position myself for long term success? Jump back and forth?

Are performance bonuses actually being paid out in this economy, or are they becoming a carrot on a stick? I’m curious if people are seeing their OTE actually hit their bank accounts.

What are you guys charging for 'monthly retainers' these days for 3-4 platforms? I feel like I’m undercutting myself compared to agency rates, but I don't want to scare off small business … more

I know a company that has had a Senior Manager role open for 6 months. I'm starting to think they're not hiring at all & they're just collecting salary data from applicants to benchmar… more

Move in-house! The pay is better and the hours are shorter. (Is it?)

Brands are building massive internal agencies to save on external retainer fees. But I'm hearing from folks that "in-house&… more

I really want to stay at my current company for as long as possible. What are the best ways to guarantee that you will stay with your current company, and what are some extra things you can do to be e… more

Fractional CMOs: Is it a goldmine, or repackaged freelancing?

I see a lot of former Directors updating their LinkedIn to "Fractional CMO." It sounds incredibly lucrative to charge 3 companies… more

Stayed at my agency for 4 years. Got "strong" performance reviews every cycle. Left for a competitor last spring and jumped from $87K to $112K overnight.
That's the loyalty penalty. Companies budget … more

T-Shaped Marketer is just corporate speak for "Do 4 jobs for 1 salary."

They want you to be an expert in Paid Search, but also capable in SEO, Email, and Graphic Design. Generalists save the company thre… more

If you've worked in both big agencies and small boutiques, where did you feel more fairly paid once you factor in hours + stress? On paper, my current salary looks good, but when I divide it by th… more

Almost celebrated a $15K signing bonus without doing the math.
That $15K is one-time. It doesn't compound into your 401(k), doesn't factor into future raises, doesn't move with you at promotion. But the $8K … more

I’ve noticed creators themselves often understand pricing and negotiation better than the people hiring them. It’s made me rethink how this industry values talent.
Has anyone taken negotiation lessons … more

Do you think internal job role switches lead to higher pay raises, or being hired by an entirely different company is more profitable? My friend had a huge pay raise because the company that she worke… more

I’m helping a couple local companies with their websites on the side of my day job. Anyone actually build their side hustle into their full time job? When do you know it’s ok to leave your day job?

Do you think that as AI continues to evolve and become even more integrated in marketing that salaries will lower across the board? Or do you think that marketing roles will be omitted completely? Cur… more

How transparent are your companies about salary bands across levels and roles? At mine, numbers are super hush-hush, and it’s starting to feel like the secrecy is mostly there to keep us from realizin… more