Occupations · Management
Marketing Managers
Plan, direct, or coordinate marketing policies and programs, such as determining the demand for products and services offered by a firm and its competitors, and identify potential customers. Develop pricing strategies with the goal of maximizing the firm's profits or share of the market while ensuring the firm's customers are satisfied. Oversee product development or monitor trends that indicate the need for new products and services.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 11-2021.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 94% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $175,560 | 49,750 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $163,100 | 19,180 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $158,800 | 17,970 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $147,990 | 17,040 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $212,520 | 12,820 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $200,010 | 11,440 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $176,240 | 9,480 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $144,420 | 9,210 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $228,580 | 7,590 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $161,340 | 7,270 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $173,880 | 7,200 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $164,650 | 7,080 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Identify, develop, or evaluate marketing strategy, based on knowledge of establishment objectives, market characteristics, and cost and markup factors.
- Formulate, direct, or coordinate marketing activities or policies to promote products or services, working with advertising or promotion managers.
- Evaluate the financial aspects of product development, such as budgets, expenditures, research and development appropriations, or return-on-investment and profit-loss projections.
- Develop pricing strategies, balancing firm objectives and customer satisfaction.
- Compile lists describing product or service offerings.
- Direct the hiring, training, or performance evaluations of marketing or sales staff and oversee their daily activities.
- Consult with product development personnel on product specifications, such as design, color, or packaging.
- Use sales forecasting or strategic planning to ensure the sale and profitability of products, lines, or services, analyzing business developments and monitoring market trends.
- Negotiate contracts with vendors or distributors to manage product distribution, establishing distribution networks or developing distribution strategies.
- Coordinate or participate in promotional activities or trade shows, working with developers, advertisers, or production managers, to market products or services.
- Consult with buying personnel to gain advice regarding the types of products or services expected to be in demand.
- Consult with buying personnel to gain advice regarding environmentally sound or sustainable products.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2015-07
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2015-07
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 15 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 100
No longer listed 18
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| marketing manager | 1221.3.2 | exact |
| chief marketing officer | 1221.3 | close |
| clothing development manager | 1223.2.1.1 | broader |
| membership manager | 2431.12 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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