Marketing Specialist salary in Madison, WI
For this job Madison sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $67,990 a year1. That is 4.9% above the Wisconsin statewide median of $64,800, and 13.7% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #146 of 516. BLS counts about 2,640 people in this job here, 17% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Madison, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Madison against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madison, WI | $43,560 | $67,990 | $121,480 | |
| Wisconsin | $42,640 | $64,800 | $117,910 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Madison earns $53,040–$91,640. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $121,480, only 2.8 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($74,820) is 10% 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 $38,600 wide, between the figure for Wisconsin ($37,110) and the US figure ($49,960).
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 | $43,560 | $3,630 | $20.94 | $56,206 |
| 25th percentile | $53,040 | $4,420 | $25.50 | $68,439 |
| Median | $67,990 | $5,666 | $32.69 | $87,729 |
| 75th percentile | $91,640 | $7,637 | $44.06 | $118,245 |
| 90th percentile | $121,480 | $10,123 | $58.40 | $156,748 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $23,650 over the median, the 25th only $14,950 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $30,516 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 Madison, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $64,800 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Madison
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 $19,739 to the $67,990 median and brings it to $87,729 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 Madison
Of the 17 roles we track in Madison, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between executive assistants ($70,800) and sales development representatives ($65,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,990.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office Manager | +10.7% | 3,380 | |
| Executive Assistant | +4.1% | 950 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 2,640 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.2% | 4,060 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -6.6% | 360 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Madison (-13.7%); virtual receptionists come first (+14.7%). The typical role here is at +0.4%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Madison than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.8% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Madison, 5.5% across Wisconsin and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $55,580 in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area to $73,880 in Milwaukee-Waukesha, a gap of $18,300 a year. The one area in Wisconsin with more marketing specialists, Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ($73,880), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Madison | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +8.7% | 4,610 | |
| Kenosha, WI | +4.0% | 380 | |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | +3.9% | 280 | |
| Madison, WI | this area | 2,640 | |
| Appleton, WI | -4.2% | 690 | |
| Wausau, WI | -4.3% | 240 | |
| Sheboygan, WI | -5.9% | 200 |
Madison against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Madison is #52 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Wisconsin, Decatur and Columbus pay just above Madison and Allentown-Bethlehem and Billings just below. All four are within $610 a year of the median in Madison. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Madison | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado Springs, CO | +32.7% | 2,680 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +22.1% | 2,590 | jobs | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | +0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Decatur, IL | +0.1% | 140 | pay | |
| Madison, WI | this area | 2,640 | ||
| Allentown-Bethlehem, PA-NJ | -0.4% | 1,400 | pay | |
| Billings, MT | -0.9% | 250 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -8.5% | 2,660 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Madison, WI?
About $87,729 a year at the median, or $7,311 a month: $67,990 in pay plus about $19,739 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Madison?
The median was $67,990 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $43,560, the 90th $121,480, and the middle half earned $53,040 to $91,640.
Is Madison cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for marketing specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $67,990 against $64,800 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is Racine-Mount Pleasant at $70,660, the next down Appleton at $65,110.
How many marketing specialists work in Madison?
BLS counts about 2,640 in the May 2025 survey. That is 17% of the Wisconsin total of 15,600. Only Milwaukee-Waukesha has more in Wisconsin.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a sales development representative in Madison?
Yes: $2,150 a year more at the median. The medians are $67,990 and $65,840.
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.