Marketing Specialist salary in Worcester, MA
Worcester pays marketing specialists less than Massachusetts as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $90,300 a year1: 11.3% below the Massachusetts statewide median of $101,810 and 14.7% above the US median of $78,760. Nationally that is #10 of 516 areas, in the top tenth. BLS counts about 2,030 people in this job here, 5% of the Massachusetts total.
BLS occupation 13-1161, area Worcester, MA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Worcester against Massachusetts and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester, MA | $51,590 | $90,300 | $152,790 | |
| Massachusetts | $58,090 | $101,810 | $166,970 | |
| United States | $43,390 | $78,760 | $155,480 |
The middle half of marketing specialists in Worcester earns $64,130–$123,330. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $152,790, only 3.0 times the bottom tenth, against 3.6 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $59,200 wide, wider than in Massachusetts as a whole ($56,240) and the US ($49,960), so what a marketing specialist earns in Worcester depends more on the employer.
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 | $51,590 | $4,299 | $24.80 | $66,568 |
| 25th percentile | $64,130 | $5,344 | $30.83 | $82,748 |
| Median | $90,300 | $7,525 | $43.41 | $116,516 |
| 75th percentile | $123,330 | $10,278 | $59.29 | $159,135 |
| 90th percentile | $152,790 | $12,732 | $73.46 | $197,148 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $26,170 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $33,030, or about $42,619 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 25th percentile and the median in Worcester, and the Massachusetts statewide median of $101,810 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Worcester
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 $26,216 to the $90,300 median and brings it to $116,516 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 Worcester
Of the 17 roles we track in Worcester, this one ranks #3 by median pay, between accountants ($94,070) and sales development representatives ($77,380). Project Coordinator is the highest at $100,290.
| Role | Median | vs marketing specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +11.1% | 1,400 | |
| Accountant | +4.2% | 3,090 | |
| Marketing Specialist | this role | 2,030 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -14.3% | 2,180 | |
| Recruiter | -14.4% | 2,050 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in Worcester (+14.7%); project coordinators come last (-2.0%). The typical role here is at +6.2%, so, measured against the US, marketing specialists cost more in Worcester than the area's general pay level would suggest. Marketing specialists hold 6.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Worcester, 10.2% across Massachusetts and 5.7% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Massachusetts
Across the 7 areas of Massachusetts with data for this job, the median runs from $72,550 in Amherst Town-Northampton to $102,390 in Boston-Cambridge, a gap of $29,840 a year. The one area in Massachusetts with more marketing specialists, Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH ($102,390), also pays more.
| Area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge, MA-NH | +13.4% | 32,310 | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 2,030 | |
| Springfield, MA | -4.8% | 1,050 | |
| Massachusetts (Nonmetro) | -10.5% | 210 | |
| Barnstable Town, MA | -12.3% | 440 | |
| Pittsfield, MA | -15.9% | 300 | |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | -19.7% | 350 |
Worcester against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Worcester is #61 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 Massachusetts, Durham-Chapel Hill and Boulder pay just above Worcester and Colorado Springs and Washington-Arlington just below. Of the three markets with about as many marketing specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Worcester | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, CO | +8.1% | 3,130 | pay | |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | +3.1% | 2,740 | pay | |
| Worcester, MA | this area | 2,030 | ||
| Colorado Springs, CO | -0.1% | 2,680 | pay | |
| Washington-Arlington, DC-VA | -3.5% | 21,090 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -15.7% | 2,160 | jobs | |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | -18.0% | 2,000 | jobs | |
| Boise City, ID | -30.9% | 2,020 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a marketing specialist in Worcester, MA?
About $116,516 a year at the median, or $9,710 a month: $90,300 in pay plus about $26,216 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for marketing specialists in Worcester?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $90,300 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $51,590, the 90th $152,790, and the middle half earned $64,130 to $123,330.
Is Worcester cheaper than the rest of Massachusetts for marketing specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $90,300 against $101,810 statewide. The next area up in Massachusetts is Boston-Cambridge at $102,390, the next down Springfield at $85,970.
How many marketing specialists work in Worcester?
BLS counts about 2,030 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Massachusetts total of 39,710. Only Boston-Cambridge has more in Massachusetts.
Does a marketing specialist cost more than a sales development representative in Worcester?
Yes: $12,920 a year more at the median. The medians are $90,300 and $77,380.
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.