As an entry-level marketing position, the role of the marketing associate is a great first step into a marketing career. However, if you’re new to the field it can be hard to know exactly how much you might expect to earn in this role.
In this article, we’re going to guide you through the average marketing associate salary in your area, as well as in different industries, so that you know exactly what you might expect to earn as a marketing associate, no matter where you are! We’ll also be running through the typical responsibilities of the role, and outlining some actionable steps you can take right now to help you start your journey in this exciting career.
Here’s a clickable list, so you can skip straight to the part which you’re most interested in:
- What does a marketing associate do?
- What is the average marketing associate salary in the United States?
- Marketing associate salary data around the world
- Marketing associate salary data across different U.S. industries
- How to become a marketing associate
- Key takeaways
Are you ready? Then let’s go!
What does a marketing associate do?
A marketing associate is an entry-level role which supports the marketing managers or directors by carrying out day-to-day tasks within the department. A marketing associate might work for a marketing agency, taking on projects for a range of different clients, or they might work within a marketing department for one organization.
The typical tasks performed by the individual in this role vary depending on the needs of the team and the overall goals of the company, but common activities include:
- Researching trends
- Putting together reports and presentations
- Brainstorming campaign ideas
- Supporting strategy creation
- Studying the marketing activities of direct competitors
- Monitoring and analyzing campaigns
- Studying customer behavior
- Creating or proofing content
- Scheduling workshops or meetings
- Performing data entry
- Performing inventory audits
- Responding to client correspondence
A marketing associate will need to demonstrate a range of skills to succeed in this role, from interpersonal skills through to business management. Let’s take a look at some of the hard and soft skills you can start working on if you’re hoping to land a marketing associate position.
- Time management
- Organization
- Interpersonal and team player skills
- Written communication
- Presentation skills
- Social media management
- Copywriting
- Basic graphic design
- Adaptability
- Multitasking
- Knowledge of digital marketing tools
- Analytical and research skills
- Business management
2. What is the average marketing associate salary in the United States?
The average marketing associate salary in the United States is $53,158 per year, according to Zippia. Marketing associates at the lowest end of that scale make approximately $35,000 per annum, while those who find themselves in the top 10 percent make roughly $78,000 per year. Marketing associate salary data for entry-level employees also hover around the $35,000 mark.
To give you a benchmark, here are the predictions from a few other reliable job websites providing data on the salaries of marketing associates in the United States:
Glassdoor: $60,406
Payscale: $51,208
Indeed: $42,544
Now that we have a general idea of the average marketing associate salary over the entire United States, let’s take a look at the difference in salaries for this position on a state-by-state basis.
Marketing associate salaries in the northeast
- New York City, NY: $68,621 (BuiltInNYC)
- Boston, MA: $67,506 (Glassdoor)
- Providence, RI: $61,135 (Glassdoor)
- Portland, ME: $44,711 (Salary.com)
Marketing associate salaries in the southeast
- Savannah, GA: $40,100 (Zippia)
- Washington, DC: $56,923 (Glassdoor)
- Miami, FL: $60,003 (Glassdoor)
- Richmond, VA: $44,476 (Indeed)
Marketing associate salaries in the southwest
- Phoenix, AZ: $65,860 (Glassdoor)
- Austin, TX: $64,792 (Glassdoor)
- Colorado Springs, CO: $53,000 (BuiltInColorado)
- Los Angeles, CA: $73,917 (Glassdoor)
Marketing associate salaries in the northwest
- Seattle, WA: $64,201 (BuiltInSeattle)
- Portland, OR: $46,964 (PayScale)
- Salt Lake City, UT: $43,616 (ZipRecruiter)
- Boise, ID: $41,712 (Indeed)
Marketing associate salaries in the midwest:
- Chicago, IL: $62,124 (BuiltInChicago)
- Wichita, KS: $38,972 (Salary.com)
- Omaha, NE: $67,592 (Glassdoor)
- Minneapolis, MI: $67,925 (Glassdoor)
3. Marketing associate salary data around the world
Below we’ve rounded up the average salaries for marketing associates in different countries around the world.
- France: €32,500
- Australia: $58,824AUD
- United Kingdom: £26,181
- China: ¥219,955
- Brazil: R$115,500
Let’s go into more detail now and take a look at the differences in average salaries for marketing associates in some major cities around the world.
- Paris, France: €39,462
- Sydney, Australia: $71,472AUD
- London, UK: £45,598
- Shanghai, China: ¥56,000
- São Paulo, Brazil: R$5,786 (per month)
4. Marketing associate salary data across different U.S. industries
As we’ve discussed, the industry within which you choose to work will make a difference to the salary you take home each month. To give you a chance to compare, here’s a rundown of the marketing associate salary data in different industries for marketing associates in the United States.
- Healthcare: $77,818
- Higher Education: $62,896
- Technology: $66,114
- Finance: $53,158
- Retail: $54,556
- Manufacturing: $50,253
5. How to become a marketing associate
Now that you’ve got a clear idea of what you can hope to earn as a marketing associate in your area, it’s time to dig into some of the actionable steps you can take right now to start building your skills and experience in preparation for this lucrative, varied, and rewarding career! You’ll find that with the right combination of hard work, enthusiasm, and desire to learn, you’ll be landing and nailing those marketing associate interviews in no time at all!
1. Attend events
Meeting new people isn’t just fun, it’s a great opportunity to network when you’re looking for a new job or launching a new career. If there’s an industry you’re particularly interested in working in you can keep an eye out for relevant panel discussions or lectures, or if you just want to learn more about marketing in general you can attend events specifically for marketing professionals. Introduce yourself to other attendees and pick the brains of those who have already launched successful marketing careers. Sites like MeetUp and Eventbrite are great places to find both virtual and in-person marketing events.
2. Offer your services
While you’re still learning and building your skillset, it’s worth offering your services to the marketing department where you currently work. Speak to your employer about becoming more involved in the team, and explain how your skills might well serve the company in this new capacity. If there is not much wriggle room in your current position, you can offer your services to a local charity or school. Be honest and realistic about what you’re able to do, and use it as an opportunity to learn and make a positive impact. A project like this looks great on your portfolio when you do start interviewing, too.
3. Take a course
There are a host of courses available in marketing and digital marketing which can help you hone your skills, teach you about the latest marketing tools and trends, and assist you as you get to grips with the day-to-day responsibilities expected of a marketing associate. As well as having demonstrable marketing projects for your first interviews in the field, a course will also provide you with a support network of other students and mentors or tutors who you can turn to for specific career advice.
If you’re not sure about committing to a part-time or full-time program, you could try out this free, 5-day program. If that further piques your interest, we’ve got a guide on the best digital marketing bootcamps on the market right now.
4. Chart your progress
Tracking your journey into marketing is an effective method for building an online presence in the field, and becoming known as a professional marketer. Choosing to voluntarily blog, podcast, or create videos about marketing is also proof of your passion for your new career that will only impress prospective employers in job interviews.
Choose a medium you enjoy using to share your learnings and insights about the field.
Here are some to think about:
- Upload videos onto YouTube
- Create a blog on Medium
- Publish a podcast on Captivate
- Curate an Instagram profile
6. Key takeaways
We hope that you’ve enjoyed learning about how a marketing associate salary can vary in different parts of the world, and that this information has armed you with confidence that you can take into your first job interviews in the field.
Some final takeaways:
- Be mindful of the cost of living in your area—this can easily affect the marketing associate salary you receive, and will affect how your take-home pay is used.
- Take into account the size of the company you’re interviewing for; a small startup is unlikely to have the same budget as a corporation, even in the same location.
- Think about your career prospects within a company: there may be considerably fewer steps to the Head of Marketing position at a startup, compared to a large organization.
Interested in the field of digital marketing? Why not try out this free, self-paced short course?
If you’d like to learn more about marketing careers, check out some of our other articles!