Cost of hiring a marketing specialist in Houston-Pasadena, TX
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Houston-Pasadena than in Texas or the country as a whole. The median is $67,370 a year[1]: 7.1% below the Texas statewide median of $72,520 and 14.5% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally it ranks #149 of 516 areas. BLS counts about 14,480 people in this job here, 23% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Houston-Pasadena against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | $26,950 | $67,370 | $125,760 | |
| Texas | $37,640 | $72,520 | $135,710 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $125,760 or more, 4.7 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of marketing specialists in Houston-Pasadena earns $47,840–$93,070. The mean ($73,640) is 9% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median.
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 | $26,950 | $2,246 | $12.96 | $38,500 |
| 25th percentile | $47,840 | $3,987 | $23.00 | $68,343 |
| Median | $67,370 | $5,614 | $32.39 | $96,243 |
| 75th percentile | $93,070 | $7,756 | $44.75 | $132,957 |
| 90th percentile | $125,760 | $10,480 | $60.46 | $179,657 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $25,700 a year in pay and about $36,714 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $19,530 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.
What a hire really costs in Houston-Pasadena
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $28,873 to the $67,370 median and brings it to $96,243 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Other roles in Houston-Pasadena
Of the 17 roles we track in Houston-Pasadena, this one ranks #5 by median pay. Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,510 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $35,350.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +47.7% | 35,550 | |
| Accountant | +26.3% | 28,400 | |
| Executive Assistant | +11.1% | 7,390 | |
| Recruiter | +7.7% | 18,320 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 14,480 | |
| Office Manager | -2.0% | 36,940 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -6.4% | 28,720 | |
| Paralegal | -6.9% | 7,320 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -19.7% | 3,260 | |
| Bookkeeper | -26.6% | 26,090 | |
| HR Assistant | -27.4% | 1,140 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -30.6% | 33,710 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -32.3% | 1,270 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -34.4% | 20,220 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -40.1% | 65,510 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -41.3% | 4,430 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -47.5% | 17,140 |
Other areas in Texas
Across the 31 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $47,220 in Laredo to $80,460 in Austin-Round Rock, a gap of $33,240 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Houston-Pasadena | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +19.4% | 8,270 | |
| Dallas-Fort Worth, TX | +11.7% | 20,900 | |
| Midland, TX | +7.7% | 250 | |
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | this area | 14,480 | |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | -2.1% | 4,140 | |
| Northwestern Region of Texas (Nonmetro) | -8.3% | 290 | |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | -8.5% | 380 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Houston-Pasadena, TX?
About $96,243 a year at the median, or $8,020 a month: $67,370 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Houston-Pasadena?
The median was $67,370 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $26,950, the 90th $125,760, and the middle half earned $47,840 to $93,070.
Is Houston-Pasadena cheaper than the rest of Texas for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $67,370 against $72,520 statewide. Austin-Round Rock pays the most ($80,460) and Laredo the least ($47,220).
How many marketing specialists work in Houston-Pasadena?
BLS counts about 14,480 in the May 2025 survey. That is 23% of the Texas total of 63,350.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in Houston-Pasadena?
Yes: $1,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,370 and $65,990.
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. Last updated 2026-11-06.