Marketing Specialist salary and cost of hiring in California
The median marketing specialist in California earned $94,700 a year in May 2025[1], 20.2% above the US median of $78,760. That puts California at #6 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 13-1161. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $48,440 | $94,700 | $181,600 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in California earns $65,290–$134,630; the top tenth earns $181,600 or more, 3.7 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the California median that makes about $135,286 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Pay by metro area in California
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $212,330 | 12,710 | |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $170,560 | 24,120 | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $120,960 | 39,390 | |
| Napa, CA | $100,800 | 390 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $80,540 | 370 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $109,730 | 1,570 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $107,630 | 960 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $116,160 | n/a | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $106,810 | 440 | |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $102,860 | 960 | |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $105,980 | 4,470 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $98,310 | 730 | |
| Vallejo, CA | $99,800 | 370 | |
| Modesto, CA | $101,490 | 580 | |
| Chico, CA | $90,700 | 320 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $96,940 | 80 | |
| Salinas, CA | $93,590 | 540 | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $91,570 | 740 | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $97,360 | 5,280 | |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $98,470 | 280 | |
| Redding, CA | $99,520 | 220 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $93,580 | 520 | |
| Visalia, CA | $90,630 | 340 | |
| Merced, CA | $96,290 | 170 | |
| Yuba City, CA | $89,340 | 110 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $87,320 | 150 | |
| Fresno, CA | $90,580 | 1,350 | |
| El Centro, CA | $82,920 | 100 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA pays the most ($141,960) and El Centro, CA the least ($60,540): $81,420 a year apart for the same job.
What a marketing specialist does
A marketing specialist plans and runs campaigns: email, social, content and paid ads, and measures what brings customers.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs California |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | +3.6% | |
| Washington | +0.4% | |
| California | +0.0% | |
| Colorado | -1.7% | |
| New Jersey | -6.9% |
Questions
How much does a marketing specialist earn in California?
The median was $94,700 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $65,290 to $134,630.
What does it cost to employ a marketing specialist in California?
About $135,286 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in California do marketing specialists earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA, with a median of $141,960 a year.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 13-1161: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131161.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Data checked 2026-10-16.