Advertising and Promotions Managers
Advertising and Promotions Managers (SOC 11-2011) earn a median $133,660 a year ($64.26 an hour) in the United States, with 21,470 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New York.
What advertising and promotions managers do
Advertising and promotions managers direct the campaigns an organization uses to draw attention to its products or services. Their work can serve a single department, an entire organization, or one client account. The role covers planning the message and the budget, reviewing copy, layouts, scripts, and audio or video before release, and coordinating with the media so the material reaches its audience. These managers also produce promotional items such as coupons, contests, posters, and giveaways intended to stimulate purchases. They meet with department heads and clients to settle contract terms, choose media, and agree on the approach, and they coordinate sales, art, finance, and research staff. The work is narrower than that of marketing managers, who also set pricing and study demand across the whole product mix, and it differs from public relations managers, who shape an organization's public image rather than buy and place promotion. Budgets and cost estimates for the campaign plan also fall to them, along with leading and monitoring the campaign team.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Account Director, Account Executive, Account Manager, Account Specialist, Advertising Account Executive (Ad Account Executive).
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $30.43 | $43.93 | $64.26 | $96.66 | $137.62 | $74.18 | 21,470 |
| Annual | $63,300 | $91,370 | $133,660 | $201,050 | $286,240 | $154,280 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where advertising and promotions managers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York | Hourly | $36.27 | $61.97 | $83.51 | $135.19 | $165.17 | $96.81 | 3,550 | 0.37 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $75,430 | $128,890 | $173,700 | $281,200 | $343,540 | $201,360 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $36.45 | $58.40 | $80.45 | $102.06 | $107.33 | $78.77 | 160 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| Annual | $75,810 | $121,480 | $167,330 | $212,280 | $223,250 | $163,850 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $35.00 | $59.04 | $80.40 | $103.95 | $154.50 | $88.08 | 3,080 | 0.17 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $72,800 | $122,790 | $167,230 | $216,220 | $321,360 | $183,200 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $32.54 | $61.88 | $79.51 | $103.06 | $178.10 | $88.96 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $67,690 | $128,710 | $165,390 | $214,370 | $370,440 | $185,040 | ||||
| Colorado | Hourly | $53.13 | $62.78 | $79.32 | $101.72 | $128.47 | $85.11 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| Annual | $110,500 | $130,590 | $164,990 | $211,580 | $267,220 | $177,040 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Texas | Hourly | $28.84 | $39.84 | $50.08 | $71.77 | $101.34 | $59.16 | 3,670 | 0.26 | 1.89 |
| Annual | $59,990 | $82,860 | $104,170 | $149,280 | $210,790 | $123,050 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $36.27 | $61.97 | $83.51 | $135.19 | $165.17 | $96.81 | 3,550 | 0.37 | 2.66 |
| Annual | $75,430 | $128,890 | $173,700 | $281,200 | $343,540 | $201,360 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $35.00 | $59.04 | $80.40 | $103.95 | $154.50 | $88.08 | 3,080 | 0.17 | 1.22 |
| Annual | $72,800 | $122,790 | $167,230 | $216,220 | $321,360 | $183,200 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $31.75 | $35.00 | $59.11 | $95.12 | $102.39 | $65.67 | 1,540 | 0.25 | 1.83 |
| Annual | $66,040 | $72,800 | $122,940 | $197,840 | $212,980 | $136,590 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $61.08 | $72.20 | $78.55 | $83.94 | $103.95 | $81.02 | 530 | 0.15 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $127,050 | $150,170 | $163,380 | $174,600 | $216,220 | $168,510 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $45.43 | $66.71 | $87.14 | $132.12 | $195.48 | $104.32 | 440 | 0.19 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $94,490 | $138,750 | $181,250 | $274,810 | $406,600 | $216,990 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $30.00 | $73.71 | $86.78 | $148.77 | $326.48 | $118.56 | 240 | 0.21 | 1.51 |
| Annual | $62,400 | $153,320 | $180,500 | $309,450 | $679,070 | $246,600 | ||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $38.60 | $63.47 | $83.84 | $135.08 | $165.70 | $97.57 | 3,630 | 0.38 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $80,290 | $132,020 | $174,390 | $280,970 | $344,650 | $202,940 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $39.54 | $53.13 | $83.19 | $98.89 | $126.53 | $84.49 | 250 | 0.09 | 0.67 |
| Annual | $82,240 | $110,500 | $173,020 | $205,690 | $263,180 | $175,740 | ||||
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | Hourly | $44.98 | $63.71 | $81.73 | $88.94 | $108.78 | $79.73 | 40 | 0.11 | 0.78 |
| Annual | $93,560 | $132,510 | $170,000 | $184,990 | $226,270 | $165,830 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $38.60 | $63.47 | $83.84 | $135.08 | $165.70 | $97.57 | 3,630 | 0.38 | 2.77 |
| Annual | $80,290 | $132,020 | $174,390 | $280,970 | $344,650 | $202,940 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $38.47 | $45.67 | $52.25 | $78.59 | $105.38 | $63.56 | 1,370 | 0.34 | 2.45 |
| Annual | $80,010 | $94,990 | $108,690 | $163,460 | $219,200 | $132,210 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $35.98 | $61.02 | $80.73 | $104.53 | $151.68 | $86.83 | 1,350 | 0.22 | 1.56 |
| Annual | $74,840 | $126,920 | $167,930 | $217,420 | $315,490 | $180,610 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $22.40 | $23.23 | $44.19 | $71.76 | $101.01 | $51.22 | 800 | 0.24 | 1.76 |
| Annual | $46,600 | $48,310 | $91,900 | $149,250 | $210,100 | $106,530 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $33.36 | $48.72 | $70.44 | $102.11 | $122.30 | $75.96 | 660 | 0.23 | 1.65 |
| Annual | $69,390 | $101,330 | $146,510 | $212,400 | $254,390 | $157,990 | ||||
Top industries employing advertising and promotions managers
Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services employ 41.6% of advertising and promotions managers nationally (8,940 jobs) at a median $133,550 a year ($64.21 an hour), followed by Management of Companies and Enterprises (10.2%) and Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services NAICS 541800 | 8,940 | 41.6% | $133,550 | $64.21 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 2,200 | 10.2% | $173,780 | $83.55 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services NAICS 541600 | 1,080 | 5.0% | $123,190 | $59.23 |
| Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers NAICS 516200 | 800 | 3.7% | $182,370 | $87.68 |
| Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers NAICS 513100 | 720 | 3.4% | $84,340 | $40.55 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (21,470). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $127,150 for advertising and promotions managers in May 2021 and $133,660 in May 2025, with employment of 22,520 and 21,470.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $127,150 | $61.13 | 22,520 |
| May 2022 | $127,830 | $61.46 | 22,010 |
| May 2023 | $131,870 | $63.40 | 20,630 |
| May 2024 | $126,960 | $61.04 | 21,100 |
| May 2025 | $133,660 | $64.26 | 21,470 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
40 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York profile | $83.51 | $173,700 | $75,430 | $343,540 | 3,550 | 0.37 | 2.66 |
| 2 | Illinois profile | $80.45 | $167,330 | $75,810 | $223,250 | 160 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| 3 | California profile | $80.40 | $167,230 | $72,800 | $321,360 | 3,080 | 0.17 | 1.22 |
| 4 | New Jersey profile | $79.51 | $165,390 | $67,690 | $370,440 | 470 | 0.11 | 0.80 |
| 5 | Colorado profile | $79.32 | $164,990 | $110,500 | $267,220 | 180 | 0.06 | 0.46 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $78.55 | $163,380 | $127,050 | $216,220 | 530 | 0.15 | 1.08 |
| 7 | Massachusetts profile | $78.41 | $163,090 | $72,280 | $258,530 | 300 | 0.08 | 0.61 |
| 8 | Rhode Island profile | $75.91 | $157,890 | $83,240 | $286,980 | 60 | 0.12 | 0.86 |
| 9 | South Carolina profile | $75.14 | $156,300 | $88,030 | $217,100 | ** | ** | ** |
| 10 | Oregon profile | $74.27 | $154,490 | $64,710 | $271,810 | 430 | 0.22 | 1.59 |
| 11 | Kansas profile | $71.43 | $148,560 | $79,130 | $196,050 | 40 | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| 12 | Virginia profile | $71.35 | $148,400 | $88,270 | $225,630 | 180 | 0.04 | 0.31 |
| 13 | District of Columbia profile | $68.77 | $143,040 | $81,440 | $292,550 | 80 | 0.12 | 0.87 |
| 14 | Georgia profile | $64.33 | $133,810 | $71,940 | $238,690 | 420 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 15 | Montana profile | $63.35 | $131,770 | $72,060 | $135,340 | ** | ** | ** |
| 16 | Wisconsin profile | $63.23 | $131,530 | $42,670 | $179,130 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 17 | Connecticut profile | $62.15 | $129,280 | $83,110 | $192,480 | 240 | 0.14 | 1.02 |
| 18 | Minnesota profile | $61.02 | $126,920 | $75,040 | $234,960 | 110 | 0.04 | 0.27 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania profile | $59.11 | $122,940 | $66,040 | $212,980 | 1,540 | 0.25 | 1.83 |
| 20 | North Carolina profile | $58.52 | $121,730 | $85,670 | $322,080 | ** | ** | ** |
| 21 | New Hampshire profile | $57.95 | $120,530 | $61,330 | $214,420 | 50 | 0.07 | 0.51 |
| 22 | Indiana profile | $54.78 | $113,930 | $49,500 | $225,690 | 120 | 0.04 | 0.28 |
| 23 | Iowa profile | $52.35 | $108,890 | $79,310 | $271,790 | 210 | 0.14 | 0.99 |
| 24 | Maryland profile | $51.63 | $107,380 | $71,760 | $206,260 | 460 | 0.17 | 1.22 |
| 25 | Kentucky profile | $51.46 | $107,030 | $61,640 | $148,730 | 230 | 0.11 | 0.82 |
| 26 | Nebraska profile | $51.14 | $106,380 | $70,220 | $165,770 | 160 | 0.16 | 1.12 |
| 27 | Maine profile | $51.10 | $106,280 | $53,090 | $156,710 | ** | ** | ** |
| 28 | Texas profile | $50.08 | $104,170 | $59,990 | $210,790 | 3,670 | 0.26 | 1.89 |
| 29 | Ohio profile | $49.09 | $102,110 | $35,540 | $213,880 | 240 | 0.04 | 0.31 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $48.85 | $101,610 | $65,840 | $180,030 | 220 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| 31 | Tennessee profile | $47.20 | $98,170 | $58,180 | $153,620 | ** | ** | ** |
| 32 | Missouri profile | $39.19 | $81,520 | $47,600 | $154,320 | ** | ** | ** |
| 33 | Idaho profile | $38.79 | $80,680 | $73,970 | $188,180 | 60 | 0.08 | 0.55 |
| 34 | Louisiana profile | $37.89 | $78,810 | $44,980 | $140,310 | 120 | 0.06 | 0.47 |
| 35 | Arkansas profile | $36.00 | $74,880 | $58,360 | $225,000 | 140 | 0.11 | 0.78 |
| 36 | Mississippi profile | $31.98 | $66,520 | $43,680 | $148,200 | 100 | 0.09 | 0.63 |
| 37 | Alabama profile | $31.08 | $64,640 | $60,000 | $213,860 | 60 | 0.03 | 0.22 |
| – | New Mexico profile | * | * | * | * | 80 | 0.09 | 0.68 |
| – | Oklahoma profile | * | * | * | * | 90 | 0.05 | 0.37 |
| – | Utah profile | * | * | * | * | 240 | 0.14 | 1.00 |
Part of Management Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 11-2011 Advertising and Promotions Managers.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 11-2011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 11-2011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.