Marketing Specialist salary in Winston-Salem, NC
Hiring a marketing specialist costs less in Winston-Salem than in North Carolina or the country as a whole. The median is $73,320 a year1: 6.5% below the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410 and 6.9% below the US median of $78,760. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#86 of 516). About 1,300 marketing specialists work here, 4% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Winston-Salem, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Winston-Salem against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem, NC | $38,810 | $73,320 | $130,420 | |
| North Carolina | $43,780 | $78,410 | $155,670 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Winston-Salem earns $53,670–$97,760. The top tenth earns $130,420 or more, 3.4 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 3.6 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $44,090 wide, against $51,380 across North Carolina and $49,960 nationally: employers in Winston-Salem 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 | $38,810 | $3,234 | $18.66 | $50,077 |
| 25th percentile | $53,670 | $4,472 | $25.80 | $69,252 |
| Median | $73,320 | $6,110 | $35.25 | $94,606 |
| 75th percentile | $97,760 | $8,147 | $47.00 | $126,142 |
| 90th percentile | $130,420 | $10,868 | $62.70 | $168,284 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $19,650 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $24,440, or about $31,535 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 Winston-Salem, and the North Carolina statewide median of $78,410 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Winston-Salem
At the $73,320 median, a local hire costs about $94,606 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $21,286 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 Winston-Salem
Of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($78,950) and recruiters ($68,540). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,560.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +8.5% | 1,530 | |
| Accountant | +7.7% | 2,030 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 1,300 | |
| Recruiter | -6.5% | 1,370 | |
| Executive Assistant | -7.4% | 510 |
Measured against the US median, marketing specialists rank #7 of the 17 roles we track in Winston-Salem (-6.9%), between data entry specialists (-6.5%) and virtual receptionists (-7.0%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Marketing specialists hold 5.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Winston-Salem, 5.9% across North Carolina and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
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. All 4 areas in North Carolina with more marketing specialists than Winston-Salem also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($82,930) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($78,980).
| Area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington, NC | +6.2% | 300 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +2.9% | 590 | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | +1.0% | 2,000 | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 1,300 | |
| Greenville, NC | -0.0% | 270 | |
| Wilmington, NC | -5.2% | 880 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | -6.3% | 160 |
Winston-Salem against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Winston-Salem is #82 of 514 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job and one of the better-paying ones. Outside North Carolina, Lexington Park and Palm Bay-Melbourne pay just above Winston-Salem and North Port-Bradenton and Mankato just below. All four are within $300 a year of the median in Winston-Salem. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Winston-Salem | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +0.1% | 1,240 | jobs | |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne, FL | +0.0% | 1,040 | pay | |
| Lexington Park, MD | +0.0% | 200 | pay | |
| Winston-Salem, NC | this area | 1,300 | ||
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | -0.1% | 1,590 | pay | |
| Mankato, MN | -0.4% | 230 | pay | |
| Fresno, CA | -14.2% | 1,350 | jobs | |
| Baton Rouge, LA | -18.6% | 1,260 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Winston-Salem, NC?
About $94,606 a year at the median, or $7,884 a month: $73,320 in pay plus about $21,286 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do marketing specialists earn in Winston-Salem?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $73,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,810, the 90th $130,420, and the middle half earned $53,670 to $97,760.
Is Winston-Salem cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $73,320 against $78,410 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Greensboro-High Point at $74,060, the next down Greenville at $73,300.
How many marketing specialists work in Winston-Salem?
BLS counts about 1,300 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the North Carolina total of 30,700. 4 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Greensboro-High Point, with about 2,000.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a recruiter in Winston-Salem?
Yes: $4,780 a year more at the median. The medians are $73,320 and $68,540.
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.