Marketing Specialist salary and cost of hiring in Iowa
The median marketing specialist in Iowa earned $66,390 a year in May 2025[1], 15.7% below the US median of $78,760. That puts Iowa at #33 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 13-1161. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $40,160 | $66,390 | $122,120 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Iowa earns $50,010–$85,680; the top tenth earns $122,120 or more, 3.0 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 Iowa median that makes about $94,843 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 Iowa
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $102,070 | 3,440 | |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $109,200 | 1,080 | |
| Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $83,250 | 850 | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $80,790 | 370 | |
| Iowa City, IA | $80,360 | 460 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $82,530 | 960 | |
| Dubuque, IA | $79,920 | 330 | |
| Ames, IA | $77,630 | 380 | |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $77,000 | 370 | |
| Southwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $74,000 | 200 | |
| Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $72,430 | 530 | |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $76,800 | 220 |
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA pays the most ($76,580) and Sioux City, IA-NE-SD the least ($56,230): $20,350 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
Questions
How much does a marketing specialist earn in Iowa?
The median was $66,390 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $50,010 to $85,680.
What does it cost to employ a marketing specialist in Iowa?
About $94,843 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in Iowa do marketing specialists earn the most?
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, with a median of $76,580 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. Last updated 2026-11-05.