Marketing Specialist salary in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI
For this job South Bend-Mishawaka sits right at the Indiana figure, with a median of $64,000 a year1. That is about level with the Indiana statewide median of $63,700, and 18.7% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #221 of 516. BLS counts about 620 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in South Bend-Mishawaka against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $38,530 | $64,000 | $109,990 | |
| Indiana | $39,740 | $63,700 | $117,640 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in South Bend-Mishawaka earns $49,130–$82,880. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $109,990, only 2.9 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($70,830) 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 only $33,750 wide, against $36,970 across Indiana and $49,960 nationally: employers in South Bend-Mishawaka 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 | $38,530 | $3,211 | $18.52 | $49,716 |
| 25th percentile | $49,130 | $4,094 | $23.62 | $63,394 |
| Median | $64,000 | $5,333 | $30.77 | $82,581 |
| 75th percentile | $82,880 | $6,907 | $39.85 | $106,942 |
| 90th percentile | $109,990 | $9,166 | $52.88 | $141,923 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $14,870 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $18,880, or about $24,361 once benefits are added. 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 South Bend-Mishawaka, and the Indiana statewide median of $63,700 falls between the 25th percentile and the median.
What a hire really costs in South Bend-Mishawaka
At the $64,000 median, a local hire costs about $82,581 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,581 here. 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 South Bend-Mishawaka
Of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between office managers ($65,610) and recruiters ($63,700). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,820.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +21.8% | 1,020 | |
| Office Manager | +2.5% | 920 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 620 | |
| Recruiter | -0.5% | 670 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -1.2% | 880 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in South Bend-Mishawaka (-18.7%), between project coordinators (-17.1%) and paralegals (-21.1%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in South Bend-Mishawaka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.6% of the jobs in these 17 roles in South Bend-Mishawaka, 5.4% across Indiana and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $54,440 in Muncie to $66,390 in Columbus, a gap of $11,950 a year. Of the 2 areas in Indiana with more marketing specialists than South Bend-Mishawaka, 1 pays less: Fort Wayne, IN ($61,730).
| Area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | +1.9% | 560 | |
| Indianapolis-Carmel, IN | +1.9% | 6,330 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +0.2% | 280 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 620 | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -0.5% | 170 | |
| Kokomo, IN | -2.4% | 70 | |
| Bloomington, IN | -2.9% | 280 |
South Bend-Mishawaka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, South Bend-Mishawaka is #148 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Pinehurst-Southern Pines and Dayton-Kettering pay just above South Bend-Mishawaka and Waterloo-Cedar Falls and Sheboygan just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in South Bend-Mishawaka. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs South Bend-Mishawaka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +24.9% | 620 | jobs | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +11.4% | 620 | jobs | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +0.2% | 1,420 | pay | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +0.1% | 160 | pay | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | this area | 620 | ||
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | +0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Sheboygan, WI | -0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Montgomery, AL | -4.3% | 620 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI?
About $82,581 a year at the median, or $6,882 a month: $64,000 in pay plus about $18,581 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in South Bend-Mishawaka?
The median was $64,000 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,530, the 90th $109,990, and the middle half earned $49,130 to $82,880.
Is South Bend-Mishawaka cheaper than the rest of Indiana for marketing specialists?
About the same: a median of $64,000 against $63,700 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Lafayette-West Lafayette at $64,120, the next down Terre Haute at $63,710.
How many marketing specialists work in South Bend-Mishawaka?
BLS counts about 620 in the May 2025 survey. Only Indianapolis-Carmel and Fort Wayne have more in Indiana.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in South Bend-Mishawaka?
Yes: $300 a year more at the median. The medians are $64,000 and $63,700.
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.