Marketing Specialist salary in Kansas City, MO-KS
For this job Kansas City sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $72,580 a year1. That is 3.5% above the Missouri statewide median of $70,140, and 7.8% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#98 of 516). BLS counts about 6,920 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Kansas City, MO-KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kansas City against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $43,130 | $72,580 | $131,080 | |
| Missouri | $37,970 | $70,140 | $129,140 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Kansas City earns $56,080–$98,990. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $131,080, only 3.0 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($80,300) is 11% 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 $42,910 wide, against $52,030 across Missouri and $49,960 nationally: employers in Kansas 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 | $43,130 | $3,594 | $20.74 | $55,652 |
| 25th percentile | $56,080 | $4,673 | $26.96 | $72,361 |
| Median | $72,580 | $6,048 | $34.89 | $93,652 |
| 75th percentile | $98,990 | $8,249 | $47.59 | $127,729 |
| 90th percentile | $131,080 | $10,923 | $63.02 | $169,135 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $26,410 over the median, the 25th only $16,500 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $34,077 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 Kansas City, and the Missouri statewide median of $70,140 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Kansas City
At the $72,580 median, a local hire costs about $93,652 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,072 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 Kansas City
Of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($75,190) and office managers ($66,780). Project Coordinator is the highest at $101,050.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +10.3% | 11,260 | |
| Recruiter | +3.6% | 6,950 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 6,920 | |
| Office Manager | -8.0% | 8,860 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -10.5% | 9,250 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Kansas City (-7.8%), between sales development representatives (-7.2%) and executive assistants (-15.8%). The typical role here is at -1.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Kansas City than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kansas City, 5.3% 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. The one area in Missouri with more marketing specialists, St. Louis, MO-IL ($74,130), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +2.1% | 6,980 | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 6,920 | |
| Columbia, MO | -10.8% | 600 | |
| Jefferson City, MO | -13.9% | 270 | |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | -19.4% | 160 | |
| Springfield, MO | -21.1% | 900 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -22.7% | 190 |
Kansas City against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kansas City is #25 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside Missouri, Glens Falls and Orlando-Kissimmee pay just above Kansas City and Amherst Town-Northampton and Midland just below. All four are within $280 a year of the median in Kansas City. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kansas City | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | +8.8% | 6,470 | jobs | |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY | +4.4% | 7,080 | jobs | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | +0.4% | 8,780 | pay | |
| Glens Falls, NY | +0.0% | 170 | pay | |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | this area | 6,920 | ||
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | -0.0% | 350 | pay | |
| Midland, TX | -0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | -10.2% | 6,330 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Kansas City, MO-KS?
About $93,652 a year at the median, or $7,804 a month: $72,580 in pay plus about $21,072 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Kansas City?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $72,580 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,130, the 90th $131,080, and the middle half earned $56,080 to $98,990.
Is Kansas City cheaper than the rest of Missouri for marketing specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $72,580 against $70,140 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is St. Louis at $74,130, the next down Columbia at $64,720.
How many marketing specialists work in Kansas City?
BLS counts about 6,920 in the May 2025 survey. Only St. Louis has more in Missouri.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in Kansas City?
Yes: $5,800 a year more at the median. The medians are $72,580 and $66,780.
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.