Marketing Specialist salary in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $59,500 a year1: 13.5% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $68,760 and 24.5% below the US median of $78,760. Nationally it ranks #372 of 516 areas. About 310 marketing specialists work here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $37,340 | $59,500 | $104,160 | |
| Pennsylvania | $34,160 | $68,760 | $128,810 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $45,770–$75,070. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $104,160, only 2.8 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($66,150) 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 $29,300 wide, against $46,880 across Pennsylvania and $49,960 nationally: employers in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area 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 | $37,340 | $3,112 | $17.95 | $48,181 |
| 25th percentile | $45,770 | $3,814 | $22.00 | $59,058 |
| Median | $59,500 | $4,958 | $28.61 | $76,774 |
| 75th percentile | $75,070 | $6,256 | $36.09 | $96,865 |
| 90th percentile | $104,160 | $8,680 | $50.08 | $134,400 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $13,730 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $15,570, or about $20,090 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $68,760 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 Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
At the $59,500 median, a local hire costs about $76,774 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $17,274 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 the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #5 by median pay, between executive assistants ($62,610) and office managers ($59,500). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,870.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +8.4% | 480 | |
| Executive Assistant | +5.2% | 160 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 310 | |
| Office Manager | +0.0% | 1,310 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -0.7% | 450 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the lowest paid of the 17 roles we track in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-24.5%); HR assistants come first (-4.5%). The typical role here is at -14.5%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 3.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 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. Of the 11 areas in Pennsylvania with more marketing specialists than the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area ($58,040).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Erie, PA | +2.0% | 420 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +1.7% | 290 | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +1.6% | 770 | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 310 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 350 | |
| Gettysburg, PA | -12.0% | 80 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -14.7% | 110 |
the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #278 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Michigan City-La Porte and Enid pay just above the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Traverse City and Farmington just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +9.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Amarillo, TX | +3.2% | 310 | jobs | |
| Enid, OK | +0.0% | 70 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | +0.0% | 120 | pay | |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 310 | ||
| Traverse City, MI | -0.1% | 340 | pay | |
| Farmington, NM | -0.2% | 50 | pay | |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -20.5% | 310 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $76,774 a year at the median, or $6,398 a month: $59,500 in pay plus about $17,274 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
The median was $59,500 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,340, the 90th $104,160, and the middle half earned $45,770 to $75,070.
Is the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $59,500 against $68,760 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is Scranton-Wilkes-Barre at $60,440, the next down the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $58,040.
How many marketing specialists work in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 310 in the May 2025 survey. 11 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 350.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an office manager in the Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
They are level. The medians are $59,500 and $59,500.
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.