Marketing Specialist salary in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA
The median marketing specialist in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks earned $80,100 a year in May 20251. That is 1.7% above the US median of $78,760, even though it is 15.4% below the California statewide median of $94,700. Only 28 of 516 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 1,570 people in this job here, 1% of the California total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | $45,560 | $80,100 | $150,190 | |
| California | $48,440 | $94,700 | $181,600 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks earns $62,410–$109,730. The top tenth earns $150,190 or more, 3.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($92,100) is 15% 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 only $47,320 wide, against $69,340 across California and $49,960 nationally: employers in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks pay within a narrower band.
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 | $45,560 | $3,797 | $21.90 | $58,787 |
| 25th percentile | $62,410 | $5,201 | $30.00 | $80,529 |
| Median | $80,100 | $6,675 | $38.51 | $103,355 |
| 75th percentile | $109,730 | $9,144 | $52.75 | $141,587 |
| 90th percentile | $150,190 | $12,516 | $72.21 | $193,794 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $29,630 over the median, the 25th only $17,690 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $38,232 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 25th percentile and the median in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, and the California statewide median of $94,700 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks
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 $23,255 to the $80,100 median and brings it to $103,355 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 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks
Of the 17 roles we track in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between recruiters ($80,560) and paralegals ($74,780). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,990.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +2.7% | 740 | |
| Recruiter | +0.6% | 1,710 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 1,570 | |
| Paralegal | -6.6% | 520 | |
| Office Manager | -8.5% | 2,870 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks (+1.7%), between project coordinators (+2.6%) and e-commerce order specialists (+0.3%). The typical role here is at +8.0%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, 7.1% across California and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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 5 areas in California with more marketing specialists than Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, 2 pay less: Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($69,840) and Sacramento-Roseville, CA ($78,630).
| Area | Median | vs Oxnard-Thousand Oaks | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +3.6% | 39,390 | |
| Napa, CA | +1.7% | 390 | |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California (Nonmetro) | +0.5% | 370 | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | this area | 1,570 | |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | -0.5% | 960 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | -0.8% | n/a | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | -1.5% | 440 |
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Oxnard-Thousand Oaks is #71 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 California, Chicago-Naperville and Austin-Round Rock pay just above Oxnard-Thousand Oaks and Olympia-Lacey and Philadelphia-Camden just below. All four are within $680 a year of the median in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Oxnard-Thousand Oaks | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | +0.4% | 8,270 | pay | |
| Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN | +0.4% | 30,970 | pay | |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | this area | 1,570 | ||
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | -0.2% | 620 | pay | |
| Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ | -0.8% | 17,600 | pay | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | -8.5% | 1,590 | jobs | |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | -10.7% | 1,560 | jobs | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | -18.1% | 1,580 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA?
About $103,355 a year at the median, or $8,613 a month: $80,100 in pay plus about $23,255 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $80,100 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $45,560, the 90th $150,190, and the middle half earned $62,410 to $109,730.
Is Oxnard-Thousand Oaks cheaper than the rest of California for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $80,100 against $94,700 statewide. The next area up in California is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area at $80,540, the next down Santa Maria-Santa Barbara at $79,710.
How many marketing specialists work in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks?
BLS counts about 1,570 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the California total of 119,070. 5 areas in California have more; the closest in size is Sacramento-Roseville, with about 4,470.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a paralegal in Oxnard-Thousand Oaks?
Yes: $5,320 a year more at the median. The medians are $80,100 and $74,780.
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.