Salaries in Advertising & Marketing

Sometimes I feel like we’re running mini talent agencies inside marketing teams. We negotiate deals, manage relationships, and track performance. Should influencer marketing be compensated more like p… more

Mid-year review just wrapped. My manager called my work "exceptional" and said I'd "exceeded expectations across the board." Then came the number: 3%.
I'm a Senior Marketing Manager at … more

How much do you think the compensation should differ by client? I feel like sometimes the hourly charges don’t account for the stress that comes with specific clients over others. How should that be i… more

What are the typical salary differences between Paid Search roles (e.g., SEM/PPC specialists) and Data & Analytics roles in marketing? How do these differences change as professionals move into ma… more

Has anyone here actually managed to negotiate a mid-year salary adjustment because market rates went up, without changing roles or companies? I keep seeing salary reports showing higher ranges for my … more

Gave my notice after landing a $127k offer — a $22k jump from my $105k base. Within the hour, my manager was in my calendar. By EOD: a counter at $118k.
For two years I'd been told budget didn't exist. Tur… more

I applied to a position at a company and had a phone screening but then the recruiter ghosted me. There is another position at the same company. What’s the guidance to applying to a second role at the… more

My strategy brief won a Cannes Lion. My salary didn't move.
The creative team got bonuses. Account got client credit.
Strategy is the most leveraged role in the agency — you shape the brief, the positioning, t… more

How common is it to fudge dates on an annual performance review. I hit a major delivery milestone. It was before the end of the financial year but my inputs for my review were already submitted. I wa… more

I trained the new guy. He makes $15k more than me.

Salary compression is brutal right now. Companies are paying top dollar to acquire new talent but won't bump the base pay of the loyal staff train… more

I’m confused on what to ask for salary-wise when companies keep confusing Sales duties with Marketing. I haven’t done the sales stuff they’re asking for but if I get the job I’ll need to include it in… more

I have an opportunity for a lateral move within my company but I’m concerned I’ll be starting over on a new team. Have you done this before and had it pay off? How did you assess the trade offs.

I got a newly promoted boss. When I ask him about my next step in career progression he told me he truely doesn’t know what he has control over regarding promotions. I’m trying to look at this an oppo… more

Account Execs: Does anyone still get a dedicated Car Allowance?

Ten years ago, every agency Account Director I knew got $500/month for a car lease because they "drove to client meetings." In … more

You're at the top of your salary band. We legally can't give you a raise.

My manager told me I maxed out the pay band for my title ($115k). The only way to get a raise is to get promoted, but t… more

My manager sold me hard on a role with a "15% bonus potential." Took me two years to do the math.
That 15% on a $80K base is $12K — if you hit 100% of your targets, if the company has a good year, if lea… more

What are the salary differences between managers and associate directors? Curious how much salary is bumped up as you go from the manager level to a higher leadership role?

At what age does your salary actually cap out in marketing?

In tech and advertising, there’s an unspoken rule that if you aren't in the C-Suite by 45, you are suddenly "too expensive" and… more

Interested in how much creatives make in agencies as you make your way up the ladder? What does it usually look like starting out versus going into director and vice president positions? Is creative s… more

What agencies tend to pay higher than others? Are there any specific ones that are well known for higher salaries? And if so, are there caveats to the higher pay?

What kind of conversation starter helps you open up about salary? I've been working on the same salary for two years, no bonus and no talk of a promotion. None of my ideas are in line with beginni… more

Got promoted to Senior Manager six months ago. Same team, bigger scope, "interim" comp until I "settle into the role." That was $82K. I'm now running campaigns that used to belong to a dir… more

When comparing agencies how do analyze competing agencies? If they’re not public you can’t see the financials. Other than reputation from friends and colleagues in those companies are there other ways… more

I’m managing influencer partnerships where some creators make more from one post than my monthly salary. I’m happy for them, but it does make you step back and think about the economics of the whole s… more

What are your recommendations for maximizing salary in this industry? Whether it be behavioral, or just things that are recommended to climb the ladder quickly?

How realistic is it these days to negotiate for remote work flexibility as part of a total compensation package? I would love to be able to have that, but it doesn't seem like there's an openn… more

I realized recently that I’m basically on call for my client at all hours, but that level of availability isn’t reflected anywhere in comp or bonus.
Do other agencies factor client intensity into pay a… more

The hidden tax of job searching while employed
Between back-to-back client calls, you're sneaking in LinkedIn DMs. You're taking "dentist appointments" for Zoom interviews. You're updating your por… more

Curious what the salary differences are between project managers and account managers in advertising. Is there a notable difference? Or does one role begin to diverge and grow more as the ladder is cl… more

I’ve noticed creatives often get credit for breakthrough work, and account gets credit for the relationship, but strategy lives in the middle. How do planners make their impact visible in comp convers… more

The uncomfortable truth about company loyalty in marketing:
After 2 years, your raises are capped at 3-5%. External moves? 15-25% jumps.
I've watched talented marketers stay 4-5 years "waiting for the righ… more

Has anyone noticed salary compression in your company? A new junior copywriter is supposedly making the same as I am, and I've been in a Sr.copy role for almost a year now. It makes no sense that … more

Has anyone negotiated a raise after you number of direct report la increased? I just inherited a few resources after a colleague left. My workload increase incrementally but nothing huge. The people m… more

Most people haven't done the math — and when they do, it's both exciting and sobering.
A $150k salary often needs $200k+ in freelance billings just to break even.
What actually stops most people isn't t… more

I’m managing a multi-million dollar account, but my salary doesn’t reflect that scale at all. It’s strange being responsible for that much revenue personally.
Has anyone used account size as leverage i… more

I’ve been asked to teach a course a local university as an adjunct faculty. Has anyone experienced this before? Is the effort worth the compensation or the experience? Is this manageable with a full t… more

I’m 20 years I to my career. I still have my internship in my resume. How far do you go back on your resume? I want to show I don’t have employment gaps. But every role I’ve had isn’t aligned with my… more

What’s the smallest market you would work in?

We can't match your previous salary, but our culture is amazing!

I interviewed at a highly sought-after boutique agency. They offered me $20k less than I currently make, explicitly stating that peo… more

I moved from creative to account thinking it would be more stable and better paid. It’s more stable, but I’m not convinced it’s better paid.
Has anyone seen meaningful comp differences between function… more