Marketing Specialist salary and cost of hiring in North Carolina
The median marketing specialist in North Carolina earned $78,410 a year in May 2025[1], 0.4% below the US median of $78,760. That puts North Carolina at #13 of 51 states for this job.
BLS occupation 13-1161. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-16.
Salary range
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $43,780 | $78,410 | $155,670 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in North Carolina earns $58,430–$109,810; the top tenth earns $155,670 or more, 3.6 times the bottom tenth.
What a hire really costs
Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2]. At the North Carolina median that makes about $112,014 a year before recruiting, equipment and office space. 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].
Pay by metro area in North Carolina
| Area | Median | 75th percentile | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $138,530 | 2,740 | |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $125,710 | 9,500 | |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $111,720 | 6,470 | |
| Burlington, NC | $100,430 | 300 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $101,800 | 590 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $97,950 | 2,000 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $97,760 | 1,300 | |
| Greenville, NC | $105,060 | 270 | |
| Wilmington, NC | $98,440 | 880 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $92,310 | 160 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | $78,510 | 110 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $94,270 | 160 | |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $89,860 | 700 | |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $79,790 | 720 | |
| Asheville, NC | $87,260 | 850 | |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $82,790 | 570 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | $79,090 | 170 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | $78,560 | 360 |
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC pays the most ($93,110) and Fayetteville, NC the least ($57,730): $35,380 a year apart for the same job.
What a marketing specialist does
A marketing specialist plans and runs campaigns: email, social, content and paid ads, and measures what brings customers.
Neighbours in the ranking
| State | Median | vs North Carolina |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | +0.9% | |
| Illinois | +0.9% | |
| North Carolina | +0.0% | |
| Connecticut | -0.9% | |
| Virginia | -1.8% |
Questions
How much does a marketing specialist earn in North Carolina?
The median was $78,410 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey; the middle half earned $58,430 to $109,810.
What does it cost to employ a marketing specialist in North Carolina?
About $112,014 a year at the median wage once benefits are added, using the 30% benefits share of US private industry (June 2026).
Where in North Carolina do marketing specialists earn the most?
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC, with a median of $93,110 a year.
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. Data checked 2026-10-16.