Marketing Specialist salary in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area
The Western North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for marketing specialists: the median of $63,800 a year1 is 18.6% below the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410, and 19.0% below the US median of $78,760. Among US areas it comes in at #225 of 516. BLS counts about 700 people in this job here, 2% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $37,040 | $63,800 | $119,980 | |
| North Carolina | $43,780 | $78,410 | $155,670 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area earns $46,910–$89,860. The top tenth earns $119,980 or more, 3.2 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. The mean ($71,960) 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 only $42,950 wide, against $51,380 across North Carolina and $49,960 nationally: employers in the Western North Carolina 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 | $37,040 | $3,087 | $17.81 | $47,794 |
| 25th percentile | $46,910 | $3,909 | $22.55 | $60,529 |
| Median | $63,800 | $5,317 | $30.67 | $82,323 |
| 75th percentile | $89,860 | $7,488 | $43.20 | $115,948 |
| 90th percentile | $119,980 | $9,998 | $57.68 | $154,813 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $26,060 over the median, the 25th only $16,890 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $33,626 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 the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area
At the $63,800 median, a local hire costs about $82,323 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $18,523 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 Western North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($74,770) and recruiters ($63,710). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,200.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +42.9% | 1,000 | |
| Accountant | +17.2% | 1,720 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 700 | |
| Recruiter | -0.1% | 980 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.6% | 360 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #13 of the 17 roles we track in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area (-19.0%), between sales development representatives (-18.6%) and payroll specialists (-21.0%). The typical role here is at -15.6%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost less in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 3.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, 5.9% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $57,730 in Fayetteville to $93,110 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $35,380 a year. Of the 8 areas in North Carolina with more marketing specialists than the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Asheville, NC ($63,760) and the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area ($63,770).
| Area | Median | vs the Western North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Mount, NC | +7.7% | 160 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | +1.8% | 110 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | +0.4% | 160 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 700 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 720 | |
| Asheville, NC | -0.1% | 850 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -6.2% | 570 |
the Western North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Western North Carolina nonmetro area is #134 of 514 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Wichita and Sheboygan pay just above the Western North Carolina nonmetro area and Iowa City and Terre Haute just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Western North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | +12.9% | 700 | jobs | |
| Appleton, WI | +2.1% | 690 | jobs | |
| Roanoke, VA | +0.8% | 700 | jobs | |
| Sheboygan, WI | +0.3% | 200 | pay | |
| Wichita, KS | +0.1% | 1,470 | pay | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 700 | ||
| Iowa City, IA | -0.0% | 460 | pay | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -0.1% | 170 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Western North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $82,323 a year at the median, or $6,860 a month: $63,800 in pay plus about $18,523 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
The median was $63,800 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,040, the 90th $119,980, and the middle half earned $46,910 to $89,860.
Is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $63,800 against $78,410 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Pinehurst-Southern Pines at $64,080, the next down the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area at $63,770.
How many marketing specialists work in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 700 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the North Carolina total of 30,700. 8 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 720.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in the Western North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $90 a year more at the median. The medians are $63,800 and $63,710.
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.