Marketing Specialist salary in Pittsburgh, PA
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Pittsburgh than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $63,190 a year1: 8.1% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $68,760 and 19.8% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #246 of 516. About 4,940 marketing specialists work here, 16% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Pittsburgh, PA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Pittsburgh against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh, PA | $35,690 | $63,190 | $118,170 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,160 | $68,760 | $128,810 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Pittsburgh earns $50,130–$82,690. The top tenth earns $118,170 or more, 3.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($72,090) is 14% 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 $32,560 wide, against $46,880 across Pennsylvania and $49,960 nationally: employers in Pittsburgh 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 | $35,690 | $2,974 | $17.16 | $46,052 |
| 25th percentile | $50,130 | $4,178 | $24.10 | $64,684 |
| Median | $63,190 | $5,266 | $30.38 | $81,535 |
| 75th percentile | $82,690 | $6,891 | $39.75 | $106,697 |
| 90th percentile | $118,170 | $9,848 | $56.81 | $152,477 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $19,500 a year in pay and about $25,161 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $13,060 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 Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $68,760 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Pittsburgh
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 $18,345 to the $63,190 median and brings it to $81,535 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 Pittsburgh
Of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh, this one ranks #8 by median pay, between office managers ($63,260) and payroll specialists ($52,400). Project Coordinator is the highest at $99,320.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +0.3% | 7,330 | |
| Office Manager | +0.1% | 10,440 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 4,940 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -17.1% | 1,130 | |
| Bookkeeper | -25.2% | 9,250 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in Pittsburgh (-19.8%); paralegals come first (+1.2%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Pittsburgh than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 4.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Pittsburgh, 5.4% across Pennsylvania and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $50,770 in Johnstown to $79,420 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $28,650 a year. The one area in Pennsylvania with more marketing specialists, Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($79,420), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | +4.3% | 180 | |
| York-Hanover, PA | +2.9% | 570 | |
| Lancaster, PA | +2.5% | 990 | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 4,940 | |
| Reading, PA | -0.2% | 520 | |
| Lebanon, PA | -2.2% | 120 | |
| Altoona, PA | -2.3% | 150 |
Pittsburgh against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Pittsburgh is #33 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Pennsylvania, Louisville and Duluth pay just above Pittsburgh and Oklahoma City and Tulsa just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in Pittsburgh. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Pittsburgh | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas-Henderson, NV | +18.2% | 4,600 | jobs | |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | +16.9% | 4,610 | jobs | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +10.5% | 5,280 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +0.3% | 330 | pay | |
| Louisville, KY-IN | +0.1% | 2,290 | pay | |
| Pittsburgh, PA | this area | 4,940 | ||
| Oklahoma City, OK | -0.0% | 3,130 | pay | |
| Tulsa, OK | -0.1% | 1,860 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Pittsburgh, PA?
About $81,535 a year at the median, or $6,795 a month: $63,190 in pay plus about $18,345 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in Pittsburgh?
The median was $63,190 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,690, the 90th $118,170, and the middle half earned $50,130 to $82,690.
Is Pittsburgh cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,190 against $68,760 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Lancaster at $64,790, the next down Reading at $63,040.
How many marketing specialists work in Pittsburgh?
BLS counts about 4,940 in the May 2025 survey. That is 16% of the Pennsylvania total of 31,040. Only Philadelphia-Camden has more in Pennsylvania.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a payroll specialist in Pittsburgh?
Yes: $10,790 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,190 and $52,400.
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.