Marketing Specialist salary in Modesto, CA
Modesto is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $71,600 a year1 is 24.4% below the California statewide median of $94,700, and 9.1% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#106 of 516). BLS counts about 580 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Modesto, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Modesto against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | $47,880 | $71,600 | $129,150 | |
| California | $48,440 | $94,700 | $181,600 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Modesto earns $49,910–$101,490. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $129,150, only 2.7 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($79,680) 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 $51,580 wide, between the figure for California ($69,340) 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 | $47,880 | $3,990 | $23.02 | $61,781 |
| 25th percentile | $49,910 | $4,159 | $24.00 | $64,400 |
| Median | $71,600 | $5,967 | $34.42 | $92,387 |
| 75th percentile | $101,490 | $8,458 | $48.79 | $130,955 |
| 90th percentile | $129,150 | $10,762 | $62.09 | $166,645 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $29,890 a year in pay and about $38,568 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $21,690 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.
For scale, the US median of $78,760 falls between the median and the 75th percentile in Modesto, and the California statewide median of $94,700 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Modesto
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 $20,787 to the $71,600 median and brings it to $92,387 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 Modesto
Of the 17 roles we track in Modesto, this one ranks #6 by median pay, between office managers ($74,140) and payroll specialists ($61,980). Project Coordinator is the highest at $102,490.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +7.6% | 730 | |
| Office Manager | +3.5% | 1,490 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 580 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -13.4% | 260 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.9% | 840 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #16 of the 17 roles we track in Modesto (-9.1%), between paralegals (-6.5%) and sales development representatives (-12.9%). The typical role here is at +5.5%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Modesto than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 4.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Modesto, 7.1% across California and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $60,540 in El Centro to $141,960 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $81,420 a year. Of the 11 areas in California with more marketing specialists than Modesto, 3 pay less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($69,840), Fresno, CA ($62,880) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($69,910).
| Area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sacramento-Roseville, CA | +9.8% | 4,470 | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | +2.9% | 730 | |
| Vallejo, CA | +2.6% | 370 | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 580 | |
| Chico, CA | -1.1% | 320 | |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | -1.2% | 80 | |
| Salinas, CA | -1.6% | 540 |
Modesto against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Modesto is #163 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Memphis and Greenville-Anderson pay just above Modesto and Davenport-Moline and Harrisburg-Carlisle just below. All four are within $310 a year of the median in Modesto. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Modesto | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +5.4% | 590 | jobs | |
| Greenville-Anderson, SC | +0.4% | 2,430 | pay | |
| Memphis, TN-MS | +0.0% | 1,880 | pay | |
| Modesto, CA | this area | 580 | ||
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.0% | 1,080 | pay | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -0.1% | 1,560 | pay | |
| Evansville, IN | -16.5% | 580 | jobs | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | -16.7% | 580 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Modesto, CA?
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 Modesto?
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 $47,880, the 90th $129,150, and the middle half earned $49,910 to $101,490.
Is Modesto cheaper than the rest of California for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $71,600 against $94,700 statewide. The next area up in California is Vallejo at $73,470, the next down Chico at $70,820.
How many marketing specialists work in Modesto?
BLS counts about 580 in the May 2025 survey. 11 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Stockton-Lodi, with about 730.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a payroll specialist in Modesto?
Yes: $9,620 a year more at the median. The medians are $71,600 and $61,980.
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.