Marketing Specialist salary in Memphis, TN-MS
For this job Memphis sits between the state and national figures, with a median of $71,600 a year1. That is 2.6% above the Tennessee statewide median of $69,790, and 9.1% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#105 of 516). BLS counts about 1,880 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Memphis, TN-MS-AR. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Memphis against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN-MS | $38,810 | $71,600 | $124,280 | |
| Tennessee | $39,480 | $69,790 | $134,740 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Memphis earns $52,380–$97,820. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $124,280, only 3.2 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($77,700) is 9% 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 $45,440 wide, between the figure for Tennessee ($44,700) 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 | $38,810 | $3,234 | $18.66 | $50,077 |
| 25th percentile | $52,380 | $4,365 | $25.18 | $67,587 |
| Median | $71,600 | $5,967 | $34.42 | $92,387 |
| 75th percentile | $97,820 | $8,152 | $47.03 | $126,219 |
| 90th percentile | $124,280 | $10,357 | $59.75 | $160,361 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $19,220 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $26,220, or about $33,832 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 Memphis, and the Tennessee statewide median of $69,790 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in Memphis
At the $71,600 median, a local hire costs about $92,387 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,787 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 Memphis
Of the 17 roles we track in Memphis, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($76,960) and office managers ($71,310). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,130.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +18.9% | 2,960 | |
| Accountant | +7.5% | 4,390 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 1,880 | |
| Office Manager | -0.4% | 8,710 | |
| Recruiter | -3.4% | 3,650 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #10 of the 17 roles we track in Memphis (-9.1%), between recruiters (-8.9%) and virtual receptionists (-9.2%). The typical role here is at -8.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Marketing specialists hold 3.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Memphis, 3.6% across Tennessee and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $53,560 in the East Tennessee nonmetro area to $77,240 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $23,680 a year. The one area in Tennessee with more marketing specialists, Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($77,240), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | +7.9% | 5,510 | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 1,880 | |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | -7.2% | 990 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -8.6% | 440 | |
| Knoxville, TN | -12.2% | 1,730 | |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | -12.4% | 240 | |
| Morristown, TN | -12.8% | 100 |
Memphis against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Memphis is #64 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 Tennessee, Greenville-Anderson and Charlottesville pay just above Memphis and Modesto and Davenport-Moline just below. All four are within $410 a year of the median in Memphis. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Memphis | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +3.4% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +0.6% | 700 | pay | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.4% | 2,430 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | this area | 1,880 | ||
| Modesto, CA | +0.0% | 580 | pay | |
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.0% | 1,080 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -4.2% | 1,800 | jobs | |
| Tulsa, OK | -11.8% | 1,860 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Memphis, TN-MS?
About $92,387 a year at the median, or $7,699 a month: $71,600 in pay plus about $20,787 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Memphis?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $71,600 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,810, the 90th $124,280, and the middle half earned $52,380 to $97,820.
Is Memphis cheaper than the rest of Tennessee for marketing specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $71,600 against $69,790 statewide. The next area up in Tennessee is Nashville-Murfreesboro at $77,240, the next down Chattanooga at $66,460.
How many marketing specialists work in Memphis?
BLS counts about 1,880 in the May 2025 survey. Only Nashville-Murfreesboro has more in Tennessee.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in Memphis?
Yes: $290 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,600 and $71,310.
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.