Marketing Specialist salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $69,560 a year1 is 9.6% below the Virginia statewide median of $76,980, and 11.7% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #132 of 516. BLS counts about 3,500 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | $40,530 | $69,560 | $123,280 | |
| Virginia | $40,100 | $76,980 | $153,300 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake earns $53,230–$86,490. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $123,280, only 3.0 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($75,210) is 8% 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 $33,260 wide, against $48,690 across Virginia and $49,960 nationally: employers in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake 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 | $40,530 | $3,378 | $19.49 | $52,297 |
| 25th percentile | $53,230 | $4,436 | $25.59 | $68,684 |
| Median | $69,560 | $5,797 | $33.44 | $89,755 |
| 75th percentile | $86,490 | $7,208 | $41.58 | $111,600 |
| 90th percentile | $123,280 | $10,273 | $59.27 | $159,071 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $16,330 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $16,930, or about $21,845 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, and the Virginia statewide median of $76,980 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
At the $69,560 median, a local hire costs about $89,755 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $20,195 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 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake
Of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, this one ranks #4 by median pay, between recruiters ($76,240) and executive assistants ($67,620). Project Coordinator is the highest at $104,920.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | +14.2% | 6,160 | |
| Recruiter | +9.6% | 4,290 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 3,500 | |
| Executive Assistant | -2.8% | 1,140 | |
| Office Manager | -8.0% | 6,850 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake (-11.7%), between payroll specialists (-8.7%) and executive assistants (-11.7%). The typical role here is at -6.7%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 5.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, 6.0% across Virginia and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $58,720 in the Northwest Virginia nonmetro area to $81,660 in Richmond, a gap of $22,940 a year. The one area in Virginia with more marketing specialists, Richmond, VA ($81,660), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, VA | +17.4% | 4,550 | |
| Charlottesville, VA | +3.5% | 700 | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | +0.1% | 160 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 3,500 | |
| Winchester, VA-WV | -3.8% | 330 | |
| Roanoke, VA | -7.5% | 700 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | -8.4% | 140 |
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Virginia Beach-Chesapeake is #41 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 Virginia, Atlantic City-Hammonton and Riverside-San Bernardino pay just above Virginia Beach-Chesapeake and Wilmington and Wenatchee-East Wenatchee just below. All four are within $400 a year of the median in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Virginia Beach-Chesapeake | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford, CT | +16.5% | 3,460 | jobs | |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +10.1% | 3,440 | jobs | |
| Riverside-San Bernardino, CA | +0.4% | 5,280 | pay | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +0.3% | 520 | pay | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | this area | 3,500 | ||
| Wilmington, NC | -0.1% | 880 | pay | |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | -0.6% | 160 | pay | |
| Provo-Orem, UT | -9.5% | 3,270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC?
About $89,755 a year at the median, or $7,480 a month: $69,560 in pay plus about $20,195 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
The median was $69,560 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $40,530, the 90th $123,280, and the middle half earned $53,230 to $86,490.
Is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake cheaper than the rest of Virginia for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $69,560 against $76,980 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is Staunton-Stuarts Draft at $69,660, the next down Winchester at $66,920.
How many marketing specialists work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
BLS counts about 3,500 in the May 2025 survey. Only Richmond has more in Virginia.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than an executive assistant in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake?
Yes: $1,940 a year more at the median. The medians are $69,560 and $67,620.
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.