Marketing Specialist salary in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area than in West Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $49,090 a year1: 6.2% below the West Virginia statewide median of $52,340 and 37.7% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally that is #497 of 516 areas, in the bottom tenth. It is the largest market for the job in West Virginia: about 330 people, 20% of the West Virginia total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against West Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | $34,330 | $49,090 | $108,050 | |
| West Virginia | $34,160 | $52,340 | $93,430 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area earns $36,830–$72,750. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $108,050, only 3.1 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($58,530) is 19% 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 $35,920 wide, between the figure for West Virginia ($31,300) 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 | $34,330 | $2,861 | $16.50 | $44,297 |
| 25th percentile | $36,830 | $3,069 | $17.71 | $47,523 |
| Median | $49,090 | $4,091 | $23.60 | $63,342 |
| 75th percentile | $72,750 | $6,062 | $34.98 | $93,871 |
| 90th percentile | $108,050 | $9,004 | $51.95 | $139,419 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $23,660 over the median, the 25th only $12,260 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $30,529 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, and the West Virginia statewide median of $52,340 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local marketing specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
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 $14,252 to the $49,090 median and brings it to $63,342 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 the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between office managers ($50,850) and sales development representatives ($47,490). Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,940.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +6.7% | 180 | |
| Office Manager | +3.6% | 1,280 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 330 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.3% | 300 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -7.7% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area (-37.7%); payroll specialists come first (-0.3%). The typical role here is at -18.0%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 3.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area, 2.8% across West Virginia and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in West Virginia
Across the 9 areas of West Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $41,280 in the Southern West Virginia nonmetro area to $55,700 in Huntington-Ashland, a gap of $14,420 a year. No other area in West Virginia has as many marketing specialists, and 3 of the other 8 pay less.
| Area | Median | vs the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV | +11.3% | 180 | |
| Charleston, WV | +2.9% | 260 | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | +1.9% | 70 | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 330 | |
| Beckley, WV | -2.1% | 90 | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | -6.3% | 60 | |
| Southern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | -15.9% | 130 |
the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area is #264 of 514 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside West Virginia, Cape Girardeau and El Paso pay just above the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area and Gadsden and Hattiesburg just below. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Junction, CO | +29.6% | 330 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +29.1% | 330 | jobs | |
| Dubuque, IA | +25.6% | 330 | jobs | |
| El Paso, TX | +3.2% | 800 | pay | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +2.5% | 140 | pay | |
| Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro) | this area | 330 | ||
| Gadsden, AL | -0.9% | 90 | pay | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -1.1% | 160 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Northern West Virginia (Nonmetro)?
About $63,342 a year at the median, or $5,278 a month: $49,090 in pay plus about $14,252 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $49,090 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,330, the 90th $108,050, and the middle half earned $36,830 to $72,750.
Is the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of West Virginia for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $49,090 against $52,340 statewide. The next area up in West Virginia is Weirton-Steubenville at $50,040, the next down Beckley at $48,060.
How many marketing specialists work in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 330 in the May 2025 survey. That is 20% of the West Virginia total of 1,650. No other area in West Virginia has as many.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a sales development representative in the Northern West Virginia nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,600 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,090 and $47,490.
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.