Marketing Specialist salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA
Athens-Clarke County is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $65,810 a year1 is 13.2% below the Georgia statewide median of $75,850, and 16.4% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #171 of 516. BLS counts about 420 people in this job here, 2% of the Georgia total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Athens-Clarke County, GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Athens-Clarke County against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $37,540 | $65,810 | $136,070 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $37,700 | $75,850 | $148,910 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Athens-Clarke County earns $47,050–$83,880. The top tenth earns $136,070 or more, 3.6 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $36,830 wide, against $55,820 across Georgia and $49,960 nationally: employers in Athens-Clarke County pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a marketing specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,540 | $3,128 | $18.05 | $48,439 |
| 25th percentile | $47,050 | $3,921 | $22.62 | $60,710 |
| Median | $65,810 | $5,484 | $31.64 | $84,916 |
| 75th percentile | $83,880 | $6,990 | $40.33 | $108,232 |
| 90th percentile | $136,070 | $11,339 | $65.42 | $175,574 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $18,070 a year in pay and about $23,316 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $18,760 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $78,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Athens-Clarke County, and the Georgia statewide median of $75,850 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Athens-Clarke County
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $19,106 to the $65,810 median and brings it to $84,916 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for marketing specialists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Athens-Clarke County
Of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between executive assistants ($69,470) and office managers ($59,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,430.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +15.3% | 570 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.6% | 250 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 420 | |
| Office Manager | -10.0% | 650 | |
| Recruiter | -12.9% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #8 of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County (-16.4%), between office managers (-14.8%) and medical administrative assistants (-17.7%). The typical role here is at -16.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Marketing specialists hold 5.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Athens-Clarke County, 5.5% across Georgia and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 17 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $53,510 in the North Georgia nonmetro area to $79,040 in Dalton, a gap of $25,530 a year. Of the 4 areas in Georgia with more marketing specialists than Athens-Clarke County, 1 pays less: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC ($60,920).
| Area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs, GA | +20.1% | 19,920 | |
| Savannah, GA | +7.7% | 690 | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | +3.4% | 470 | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 420 | |
| Valdosta, GA | -1.5% | 110 | |
| Gainesville, GA | -1.9% | 290 | |
| Rome, GA | -4.2% | 120 |
Athens-Clarke County against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Athens-Clarke County is #197 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Georgia, Helena and Champaign-Urbana pay just above Athens-Clarke County and Charleston-North Charleston and Merced just below. All four are within $170 a year of the median in Athens-Clarke County. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | +0.0% | 380 | pay | |
| Helena, MT | +0.0% | 130 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 420 | ||
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | -0.2% | 2,160 | pay | |
| Merced, CA | -0.3% | 170 | pay | |
| Erie, PA | -7.8% | 420 | jobs | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -8.4% | 430 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | -13.9% | 420 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
About $84,916 a year at the median, or $7,076 a month: $65,810 in pay plus about $19,106 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Athens-Clarke County?
The median was $65,810 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,540, the 90th $136,070, and the middle half earned $47,050 to $83,880.
Is Athens-Clarke County cheaper than the rest of Georgia for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,810 against $75,850 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is Columbus at $68,080, the next down Valdosta at $64,840.
How many marketing specialists work in Athens-Clarke County?
BLS counts about 420 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Georgia total of 27,810. 4 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is Columbus, with about 470.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in Athens-Clarke County?
Yes: $6,610 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,810 and $59,200.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1161: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.