Marketing Specialist salary in Columbia, MO
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Columbia than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $64,720 a year1: 7.7% below the Missouri statewide median of $70,140 and 17.8% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally it ranks #200 of 516 areas. BLS counts about 600 people in this job here, 4% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Columbia, MO. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Columbia against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia, MO | $39,060 | $64,720 | $109,210 | |
| Missouri | $37,970 | $70,140 | $129,140 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Columbia earns $51,390–$81,710. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $109,210, only 2.8 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($72,440) is 12% 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 $30,320 wide, against $52,030 across Missouri and $49,960 nationally: employers in Columbia 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 | $39,060 | $3,255 | $18.78 | $50,400 |
| 25th percentile | $51,390 | $4,282 | $24.71 | $66,310 |
| Median | $64,720 | $5,393 | $31.12 | $83,510 |
| 75th percentile | $81,710 | $6,809 | $39.28 | $105,432 |
| 90th percentile | $109,210 | $9,101 | $52.50 | $140,916 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $16,990 a year in pay and about $21,923 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,330 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 Columbia, and the Missouri statewide median of $70,140 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Columbia
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 $18,790 to the $64,720 median and brings it to $83,510 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 Columbia
Of the 16 roles we track in Columbia, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($73,070) and recruiters ($63,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,870.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +25.0% | 580 | |
| Accountant | +12.9% | 930 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 600 | |
| Recruiter | -2.1% | 640 | |
| Office Manager | -4.7% | 930 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #11 of the 16 roles we track in Columbia (-17.8%), between data entry specialists (-17.1%) and payroll specialists (-18.3%). The typical role here is at -16.5%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Marketing specialists hold 5.9% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Columbia, 5.4% across Missouri and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $40,570 in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area to $74,130 in St. Louis, a gap of $33,560 a year. Of the 3 areas in Missouri with more marketing specialists than Columbia, 1 pays less: Springfield, MO ($57,280).
| Area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +14.5% | 6,980 | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | +12.1% | 6,920 | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 600 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -3.5% | 270 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -9.6% | 160 | |
| Springfield, MO | -11.5% | 900 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -13.3% | 190 |
Columbia against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Columbia is #154 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Missouri, Lancaster and Valdosta pay just above Columbia and Corvallis and Lansing-East Lansing just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Columbia. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Columbia | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Valdosta, GA | +0.2% | 110 | pay | |
| Lancaster, PA | +0.1% | 990 | pay | |
| Columbia, MO | this area | 600 | ||
| Corvallis, OR | -0.0% | 160 | pay | |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | -0.0% | 1,050 | pay | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -2.6% | 600 | jobs | |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | -4.5% | 610 | jobs | |
| Mobile, AL | -6.8% | 610 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Columbia, MO?
About $83,510 a year at the median, or $6,959 a month: $64,720 in pay plus about $18,790 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Columbia?
The median was $64,720 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $39,060, the 90th $109,210, and the middle half earned $51,390 to $81,710.
Is Columbia cheaper than the rest of Missouri for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $64,720 against $70,140 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Kansas City at $72,580, the next down Jefferson City at $62,460.
How many marketing specialists work in Columbia?
BLS counts about 600 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Missouri total of 14,890. 3 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Springfield, with about 900.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in Columbia?
Yes: $1,360 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,720 and $63,360.
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.