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Do you have a knack for spinning social posts? Do you enjoy weaving brand stories into engaging narratives? If so, you just might be cut out for a career in marketing.
Companies need savvy digital marketers and are willing to pay competitive salaries to secure their services. But if you’re a new marketer, knowing where to find entry-level digital marketing jobs with high-growth potential can be a bit tricky.
To that end, we’ve compiled a list of the highest-paying digital marketing entry-level jobs, a list of the skills you’ll need to land them, and an explanation of how a digital marketing bootcamp could get you started on the road to becoming a digital marketer.
The 6 Highest Paying Entry-Level Digital Marketing Jobs in the U.S.
Finding your first job is always tricky, no matter which field you happen to work in. That said, so long as you have a robust set of core digital marketing skills and a can-do attitude, you’ll surely qualify for a host of entry-level jobs.
So, what types of entry-level digital marketing jobs should you pursue as a newcomer? Here are six titles to consider. All salaries have been sourced from PayScale.
Email Marketing Specialist
Average salary: $54,456
As their title suggests, email marketing specialists create campaigns that connect businesses with customers and generate sales. In addition to writing and designing email templates, these specialists are also tasked with growing customer lists and building relationships with clients.
Anyone who wants to become an email marketer should have at least some experience with platforms like Salesforce and MailChimp, as well as basic knowledge of HTML. Research and analysis skills are essential, as is writing proficiency.
Career Path: After gaining several years of experience, email marketing specialists can transition into a digital marketing manager role or become director of communications.
Digital Marketing Specialist
Average salary: $50,284
Digital marketing specialist is an umbrella term that refers to any marketing professional who knows how to showcase and sell products and services online. While in this role, you’ll be asked to perform a range of duties involving search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click advertising (PPC), and content production.
These professionals have some SEO and PPC knowledge and are proficient with Google Analytics, Google Ads, and HTML. An ability to research, write, and edit content is a must, as is expertise with content management systems (CMS) such as WordPress.
Career Path: After gaining industry and leadership experience, digital marketing specialists can climb the corporate ladder and become digital marketing managers or strategists.
Digital Graphic Designer
Average salary: $49,065
These professionals develop graphics for social media campaigns, websites, and email marketing. As such, graphic designers hold a lot of sway over the look and feel of a company’s brand image. Digital graphic designers are proficient with Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.), web-management software, and digital photo and video editing. Of course, creativity is a must too!
Career Path: Becoming a graphic designer is the place to start for those who ultimately want to become art directors or creative directors.
Content Specialist
Average salary: $48,975
These professionals write, write, and write some more. Content specialists, or content writers, produce newsletters, blog posts, emails, press releases, and product descriptions, among other copy materials. They bring clarity to complicated ideas and breathe life into mundane topics. Beyond having strong writing and editing skills, content specialists must know how to research and draft with SEO in mind. Though room for creativity certainly exists, your work has to be clear and impactful.
Career Path: With some content writing experience, you can become a content strategist or take on even more responsibility as a digital marketing manager or web content manager.
SEO Specialist
Average salary: $46,330
Search engine optimization (SEO) specialists ensure that content ranks as highly as possible in web searches. These professionals know how to boost a website to the forefront of Google by using keywords, tracking tools, and competitor research.
SEO specialists should have a handle on all Google tools (i.e., Analytics, Ads, Tag Manager) and other SEO technologies such as DeepCrawl. Some employers might prefer job applicants with a computer science or programming background, though a formal degree is not strictly necessary.
Career Paths: After spending a few years in an SEO specialist role, you could advance into a managerial position or shoot for a promotion to digital marketing director.
Social Media Specialist
Average salary: $45,274
This job involves more than posting sunset photos on Instagram or retweeting snappy Twitter memes. In this job, you’ll oversee an organization’s social media presence across multiple platforms. This could mean developing a brand profile, tracking engagement, or even dealing with consumer complaints.
Social media specialists typically have expertise in multiple social media platforms. They also have a knack for identifying influencers for marketing opportunities and an understanding of paid spend. All social media specialists need to be good short-form writers and have excellent visual sense. Being funny won’t hurt, either!
Career Paths: As with other digital marketing jobs, this role provides savvy social media specialists with the opportunity to take on more responsibility as a social media director or marketing manager after spending a few years on the job.
Digital Marketing Salaries in New York City: From Starting Salary to Highest Pay
The New York/New Jersey metropolitan area offers some of the nation’s best digital marketing salaries. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), New Jersey is the top-paying state for marketing specialists, with a mean annual wage of $91,360. For New York state, the mean salary is a little lower, at $78,240.
All this said, the amount of money a person gets is usually commensurate with their experience. For example, PayScale data indicates that digital marketing specialists’ salaries can range from $49,000 to a whopping $70,000. This gap persists on higher levels of the corporate ladder, too; digital marketing managers with less than a year of experience typically start at $49,000, while experienced managers might make up to $89,000.
Wondering how much you could make working other entry-level digital marketing jobs in NYC? Here’s a quick rundown of what you can expect to earn from a few entry-level jobs.
Email Marketing Specialist*
Entry Level: $63,956
Mid-Career: $73,036
Senior Level: $90,204
*Data sourced from Glassdoor.
Digital Graphic Designer*
Entry Level: $52,088
Mid-Career: $58,650
Senior Level: $69,900
*Data sourced from PayScale.
Content Specialist*
Entry Level: $47,932
Mid-Career: $62,400
Senior Level: $81,000
*Data sourced from PayScale.
SEO Specialist*
Entry Level: $44,760
Mid-Career: $66,158
Senior Level: $82,682
*Data sourced from Glassdoor.
Social Media Specialist*
Entry Level: $45,633
Mid-Career: $55,605
Senior Level: $68,225
*Data sourced from Glassdoor.
Digital Marketing Job Outlook — In New York & the U.S.
Analysts at BLS predict a bright future for marketing specialists, particularly in New York. Employment opportunities are projected to increase by 26 percent through 2026, with 7,950 job openings expected annually.
Analysts at the Bureau of Labor Statistics affirm this optimistic news, writing that “employment growth will be driven by an increasing use of data and market research across many industries. They will be needed to help understand the needs and wants of customers, measure the effectiveness of marketing and business strategies, and identify the factors affecting product demand.”
The New York metropolitan area already ranks among the best nationally for marketing specialists. It has the highest number of employees in the field and ranks highly in job concentration. According to BLS statistics, New York state ranks second to California in marketing specialist employment levels.
Plus, with remote work on the rise, digital marketing specialists have more opportunities than ever to live and work where they want, rather than relocating to where their employer’s physical offices are.
Why Get Into Digital Marketing?
Digital marketing entry-level jobs are in demand because they’re high-paying, remote-friendly, and have fantastic growth potential. Let’s break down exactly what a digital marketing career can offer you!
Competitive Salaries
As noted above, salaries for entry-level digital marketing jobs often start above $50,000 in annual pay. Wages rise even higher for those willing to take on more responsibility; according to PayScale, a digital marketing manager’s average salary tops $67,000. Experienced managers could make more than $90,000 per year — or even higher if they live in a particularly high-value region.
Bright Job Outlook
Digital marketing professionals are necessary for just about every industry you could name — from government to finance, healthcare, education, and entertainment. The list is endless. Entry-level opportunities are blooming, as are the prospects for promotions. CareerOneStop projects the national need for marketing managers to increase by 7 percent through 2029. If you get into digital marketing, your potential for career growth is sky-high.
Remote Work
With telecommuting becoming increasingly accepted, and in some cases encouraged, you might not have to uproot your life for a job ever again. According to BLS statistics, regions with high concentrations of marketing specialist jobs include Boulder, Colorado, the Silicon Slopes region of Utah, and Seattle. It’s quite possible to live in New York and work for a company headquartered across the country — or vice versa.
Job Satisfaction
Most respondents to PayScale’s career surveys say they are “highly satisfied” with their job as digital marketing strategists. Those working as email strategists, social media strategists, and digital graphic designers all give their work high satisfaction grades as well.
Can negatives arise? Of course — for marketers, the greatest challenge is staying abreast of ever-evolving technologies, customer preferences, and social media trends. This isn’t a job for someone who likes to coast; you need to be ambitious and passionate about your work!
How to Get a Job in Digital Marketing
Unsure whether your digital marketing experience will meet a prospective employer’s needs? Let’s ease that fear. The good news is, entry-level digital marketing jobs don’t require a resume rich in technical skills. In fact, you’re probably better-prepared for candidacy than you think!
That said, you will need some formal education. As with most entry-level jobs in this field, a bachelor’s degree is often recommended (though not strictly necessary). However, if you don’t have the time or inclination to pursue a four-year degree in marketing, you may want to consider enrolling in a digital marketing bootcamp! These intensive programs can help you curate a set of job-ready technical skills to springboard into a new career in under five months.
Not sure where to start? No problem — check out this comprehensive list of digital marketing skills to gauge your readiness for a marketing career! If you have your eye on a particular job title, you can also scan the sections below for a quick sense of whether you’ll qualify for a given role.
Email Marketing Specialist
Skills required:
- Familiarity with data gathering and analysis
- Proficiency with Listserv tools and automated email management platforms
- Ability to write snappy, eye-catching emails
- A UX-savvy mindset
Digital Graphic Designer
Skills required:
- Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, etc.)
- Experience with photography and/or digitally-created art
- Basic coding skills (HTML and CSS)
- Ability to adapt designs to suit print and digital media
Content Specialist
Skills required:
- The ability to write clearly and succinctly
- A love for writing (you’ll do plenty of it!)
- A knack for synthesizing technical jargon into readable copy
- An understanding of writing for SEO
SEO Specialist
Skills required:
- Proficiency in SEO best practices
- Knowledge of on-page (what’s on the website) and off-page (actions taken outside of your own website) SEO
- Research and analytical skills
Social Media Specialist
Skills required:
- Fluency with major social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn
- Experience with some leading social media tools such as Buffer, Hootsuite, or Sendible
- Strong writing skills
- Familiar with design software such as Adobe Photoshop
Once you have the skills required for your preferred role, you can launch your job hunt and become a digital marketer!
Interested? Seek to Meet Basic Requirements for Digital Marketing Entry-Level Jobs
Digital marketing has revolutionized how we shop, research, learn, and live. Digital marketing specialists guide people through the complicated digital space, bringing together buyers and sellers by distilling endless choices into clear brand offerings. The job requires technical skills, a creative voice, and an ability to blend the two.
Does this sound up your alley? If so, Columbia Engineering’s Digital Marketing Boot Camp could be your professional launch point! This 18-week program concentrates on the practical skills you need to begin a digital marketing career.
Aspiring professionals should explore the digital marketing curriculum. The course offers a comprehensive look at marketing strategy, digital advertising, data automation, website optimization, and much more. You’ll learn how to develop content, create a brand strategy, and conduct and analyze paid social media campaigns.
Upon completing the digital marketing bootcamp, you’ll be able to devise a campaign, build an advertising strategy around it, identify growth opportunities and optimize web pages to generate more sales. Part-time classes are conducted online, fitting flexibly into your schedule. Plus, you won’t need any prior marketing experience to get started!
To learn more about what we can do to springboard your career, please visit Columbia Engineering’s Digital Marketing Boot Camp.
Disclaimer: Salary data provided by Payscale, Ziprecruiter, and Glassdoor is often self-reported by individuals and is not guaranteed to be confirmed by employers. The inclusion of this data by Columbia Engineering Boot Camps and Trilogy Education Services, a 2U, Inc. brand, is intended only to provide general insights into potential salaries for the stated fields and does not indicate a confirmation of its validity.