Marketing Specialist salary in Iowa City, IA
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Iowa City than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $63,790 a year1: 3.9% below the Iowa statewide median of $66,390 and 19.0% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally it ranks #226 of 516 areas. BLS counts about 460 people in this job here, 5% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Iowa City, IA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Iowa City against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | $33,710 | $63,790 | $113,160 | |
| Iowa | $40,160 | $66,390 | $122,120 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Iowa City earns $48,090–$80,360. The top tenth earns $113,160 or more, 3.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($68,920) is 8% 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 $32,270 wide, against $35,670 across Iowa and $49,960 nationally: employers in Iowa City 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 | $33,710 | $2,809 | $16.21 | $43,497 |
| 25th percentile | $48,090 | $4,008 | $23.12 | $62,052 |
| Median | $63,790 | $5,316 | $30.67 | $82,310 |
| 75th percentile | $80,360 | $6,697 | $38.63 | $103,690 |
| 90th percentile | $113,160 | $9,430 | $54.40 | $146,013 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $15,700 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,570, or about $21,381 once benefits are added. 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 Iowa City, and the Iowa statewide median of $66,390 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Iowa City
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 $18,520 to the $63,790 median and brings it to $82,310 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 Iowa City
Of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between paralegals ($66,400) and executive assistants ($62,740). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,820.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +4.1% | 600 | |
| Paralegal | +4.1% | 330 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 460 | |
| Executive Assistant | -1.6% | 430 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -2.6% | 330 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 16 roles we track in Iowa City (-19.0%); HR assistants come first (+10.0%). The typical role here is at -4.5%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Iowa City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Iowa City, 6.5% across Iowa and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $56,230 in Sioux City to $76,580 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $20,350 a year. Of the 5 areas in Iowa with more marketing specialists than Iowa City, 2 pay less: Cedar Rapids, IA ($63,630) and the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area ($56,920).
| Area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | +12.2% | 1,080 | |
| Southeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 850 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +0.3% | 370 | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 460 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | -0.3% | 960 | |
| Dubuque, IA | -3.3% | 330 | |
| Ames, IA | -4.2% | 380 |
Iowa City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Iowa City is #185 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Wichita and Sheboygan pay just above Iowa City and Asheville and Terre Haute just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in Iowa City. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Iowa City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utica-Rome, NY | +10.0% | 460 | jobs | |
| Sheboygan, WI | +0.3% | 200 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.2% | 1,470 | pay | |
| Iowa City, IA | this area | 460 | ||
| Asheville, NC | -0.0% | 850 | pay | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -0.1% | 170 | pay | |
| Eau Claire, WI | -2.8% | 460 | jobs | |
| Rockford, IL | -3.1% | 460 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Iowa City, IA?
About $82,310 a year at the median, or $6,859 a month: $63,790 in pay plus about $18,520 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in Iowa City?
The median was $63,790 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,710, the 90th $113,160, and the middle half earned $48,090 to $80,360.
Is Iowa City cheaper than the rest of Iowa for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,790 against $66,390 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Waterloo-Cedar Falls at $64,000, the next down Cedar Rapids at $63,630.
How many marketing specialists work in Iowa City?
BLS counts about 460 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Iowa total of 8,880. 5 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is the Northwest Iowa nonmetro area, with about 530.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an executive assistant in Iowa City?
Yes: $1,050 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,790 and $62,740.
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.