Marketing Specialist salary in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
The Central North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $59,840 a year1 is 23.7% below the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410, and 24.0% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #356 of 516. BLS counts about 570 people in this job here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $36,960 | $59,840 | $122,460 | |
| North Carolina | $43,780 | $78,410 | $155,670 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area earns $47,850–$82,790. The top tenth earns $122,460 or more, 3.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($71,580) is 20% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $34,940 wide, against $51,380 across North Carolina and $49,960 nationally: employers in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area 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 | $36,960 | $3,080 | $17.77 | $47,690 |
| 25th percentile | $47,850 | $3,988 | $23.00 | $61,742 |
| Median | $59,840 | $4,987 | $28.77 | $77,213 |
| 75th percentile | $82,790 | $6,899 | $39.80 | $106,826 |
| 90th percentile | $122,460 | $10,205 | $58.88 | $158,013 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $22,950 over the median, the 25th only $11,990 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $29,613 a year in employer cost. 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 the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
At the $59,840 median, a local hire costs about $77,213 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,373 here. 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 the Central North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($61,780) and executive assistants ($59,240). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,170.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +25.5% | 1,410 | |
| Recruiter | +3.2% | 1,030 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 570 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.0% | 250 | |
| Office Manager | -2.7% | 1,440 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area (-24.0%); HR assistants come first (-4.5%). The typical role here is at -16.2%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 3.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area, 5.9% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $57,730 in Fayetteville to $93,110 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $35,380 a year. All 10 areas in North Carolina with more marketing specialists than the Central North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($82,930) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($78,980).
| Area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +7.1% | 160 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +6.6% | 700 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +6.6% | 720 | |
| Asheville, NC | +6.6% | 850 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 570 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -1.7% | 170 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -3.5% | 360 |
the Central North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central North Carolina nonmetro area is #168 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Sherman-Denison and Flint pay just above the Central North Carolina nonmetro area and Evansville and Watertown-Fort Drum just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg, SC | +24.5% | 570 | jobs | |
| York-Hanover, PA | +8.7% | 570 | jobs | |
| Flint, MI | +0.3% | 410 | pay | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +0.2% | 130 | pay | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 570 | ||
| Evansville, IN | -0.1% | 580 | pay | |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | -0.2% | 120 | pay | |
| McAllen-Edinburg, TX | -19.2% | 570 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Central North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $77,213 a year at the median, or $6,434 a month: $59,840 in pay plus about $17,373 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
The median was $59,840 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,960, the 90th $122,460, and the middle half earned $47,850 to $82,790.
Is the Central North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,840 against $78,410 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Asheville at $63,760, the next down Jacksonville at $58,800.
How many marketing specialists work in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 30,700. 10 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Hickory-Lenoir, with about 590.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an executive assistant in the Central North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $600 a year more at the median. The medians are $59,840 and $59,240.
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.