Marketing Specialist salary in Topeka, KS
Topeka is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $65,340 a year1 is 7.2% below the Kansas statewide median of $70,430, and 17.0% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #183 of 516. BLS counts about 620 people in this job here, 8% of the Kansas total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Topeka, KS. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Topeka against Kansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topeka, KS | $37,370 | $65,340 | $124,050 | |
| Kansas | $38,540 | $70,430 | $128,650 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Topeka earns $47,800–$92,600. The top tenth earns $124,050 or more, 3.3 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($73,510) is 13% 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 $44,800 wide, between the figure for Kansas ($43,910) 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 | $37,370 | $3,114 | $17.97 | $48,219 |
| 25th percentile | $47,800 | $3,983 | $22.98 | $61,677 |
| Median | $65,340 | $5,445 | $31.41 | $84,310 |
| 75th percentile | $92,600 | $7,717 | $44.52 | $119,484 |
| 90th percentile | $124,050 | $10,338 | $59.64 | $160,065 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $27,260 over the median, the 25th only $17,540 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $35,174 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 median and the 75th percentile in Topeka, and the Kansas statewide median of $70,430 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Topeka
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 $18,970 to the $65,340 median and brings it to $84,310 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 Topeka
Of the 17 roles we track in Topeka, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between accountants ($76,280) and executive assistants ($63,290). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,000.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recruiter | +17.4% | 720 | |
| Accountant | +16.7% | 1,420 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 620 | |
| Executive Assistant | -3.1% | 340 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -3.2% | 790 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Topeka (-17.0%), between administrative assistants (-16.9%) and executive assistants (-17.4%). The typical role here is at -8.8%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Topeka than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 4.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Topeka, 5.1% across Kansas and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Kansas
Across the 5 areas of Kansas with data for this job, the median runs from $61,100 in Manhattan to $67,060 in Lawrence, a gap of $5,960 a year. All 2 areas in Kansas with more marketing specialists than Topeka pay less, among them Wichita, KS ($63,890) and the Kansas nonmetro area ($63,280).
| Area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence, KS | +2.6% | 260 | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 620 | |
| Wichita, KS | -2.2% | 1,470 | |
| Kansas (Nonmetro) | -3.2% | 1,160 | |
| Manhattan, KS | -6.5% | 220 |
Topeka against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Topeka is #149 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Kansas, Missoula and Yuba City pay just above Topeka and Lexington-Fayette and Elkhart-Goshen just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Topeka. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Topeka | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympia-Lacey, WA | +22.3% | 620 | jobs | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +9.1% | 620 | jobs | |
| Yuba City, CA | +0.1% | 110 | pay | |
| Missoula, MT | +0.0% | 280 | pay | |
| Topeka, KS | this area | 620 | ||
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | -0.1% | 1,140 | pay | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -0.2% | 560 | pay | |
| Montgomery, AL | -6.3% | 620 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Topeka, KS?
About $84,310 a year at the median, or $7,026 a month: $65,340 in pay plus about $18,970 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Topeka?
The median was $65,340 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,370, the 90th $124,050, and the middle half earned $47,800 to $92,600.
Is Topeka cheaper than the rest of Kansas for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $65,340 against $70,430 statewide. The next area up in Kansas is Lawrence at $67,060, the next down Wichita at $63,890.
How many marketing specialists work in Topeka?
BLS counts about 620 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Kansas total of 8,090. Only Wichita and the Kansas nonmetro area have more in Kansas.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an executive assistant in Topeka?
Yes: $2,050 a year more at the median. The medians are $65,340 and $63,290.
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.