Cost of hiring a marketing specialist in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the most expensive place in Minnesota to hire a marketing specialist. The median is $97,910 a year[1], 11.9% above the Minnesota statewide median of $87,510 and 24.3% above the US median of $78,760. Only 6 of 516 US areas pay more for this job. It is the largest market for the job in Minnesota: about 16,760 people.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Minneapolis-St. Paul against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | $52,840 | $97,910 | $154,870 | |
| Minnesota | $50,400 | $87,510 | $143,180 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Minneapolis-St. Paul earns $69,700–$128,360. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $154,870, only 2.9 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read.
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 | $52,840 | $4,403 | $25.40 | $75,486 |
| 25th percentile | $69,700 | $5,808 | $33.51 | $99,571 |
| Median | $97,910 | $8,159 | $47.07 | $139,871 |
| 75th percentile | $128,360 | $10,697 | $61.71 | $183,371 |
| 90th percentile | $154,870 | $12,906 | $74.46 | $221,243 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $30,450 a year in pay and about $43,500 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $28,210 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
What a hire really costs in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $41,961 to the $97,910 median and brings it to $139,871 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 fee[3]; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool[4].
Other roles in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Marketing specialists have the highest median of the 17 roles we track in Minneapolis-St. Paul; virtual receptionists have the lowest, at $38,000.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 16,760 | |
| Project Coordinator | -0.1% | 15,450 | |
| Accountant | -11.7% | 21,820 | |
| Recruiter | -18.0% | 12,660 | |
| Executive Assistant | -18.3% | 6,150 | |
| Office Manager | -19.9% | 14,480 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -21.2% | 14,070 | |
| Paralegal | -22.2% | 5,990 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -35.6% | 1,920 | |
| Bookkeeper | -41.0% | 16,510 | |
| HR Assistant | -42.1% | 2,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -44.8% | 19,180 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -47.0% | 8,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -49.4% | 620 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -49.5% | 38,630 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -52.7% | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -61.2% | 8,780 |
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $61,460 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $97,910 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $36,450 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Minneapolis-St. Paul | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | this area | 16,760 | |
| Rochester, MN | -15.2% | 320 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -25.2% | 590 | |
| Mankato, MN | -25.4% | 230 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -25.4% | 350 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -29.7% | 320 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -34.3% | 590 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI?
About $139,871 a year at the median, or $11,656 a month: $97,910 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
The median was $97,910 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $52,840, the 90th $154,870, and the middle half earned $69,700 to $128,360.
Is Minneapolis-St. Paul the most expensive area in Minnesota for marketing specialists?
Yes. Its median of $97,910 is the highest of 9 areas in Minnesota. Rochester comes next at $83,030.
How many marketing specialists work in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
BLS counts about 16,760 in the May 2025 survey.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a project coordinator in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Yes: $50 a year more at the median. The medians are $97,910 and $97,860.
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 2026-11-06.