State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Search Marketing Strategist Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Search Marketing Strategists earn a median of $78,760 per year ($37.87/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 6.7% through 2034, with about 87,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-1161Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $78,760
- Projected growth
- +6.7%
- Openings a year
- 87,200
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Digital Marketing Strategist, Digital Media Planner, Internet Marketing Specialist, Marketing Consultant, Online Marketing Consultant, Paid Search Consultant.
How much do Search Marketing Strategists make?
10th percentile$43,390
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$58,350
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$78,760
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$108,310
Upper quartile
90th percentile$155,480
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $78,760 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $37.87/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $89,490 |
| People employed | 899,580 |
Versus all US occupations
At $78,760, Search Marketing Strategists earn 54% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,780 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $155,480 or more while the bottom 10% earn $43,390, a gap of 3.6×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 65% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Massachusetts posts the highest raw median ($101,810), but once local prices are taken into account Delaware leads at $101,465 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Search Marketing Strategists the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $101,810 | $96,268 | 39,710 |
| Delaware | $101,270 | $101,465 | 3,570 |
| New York | $98,580 | $91,345 | 80,500 |
| District of Columbia | $98,090 | $89,253 | 6,340 |
| Washington | $95,120 | $88,886 | 24,460 |
| California | $94,700 | $85,531 | 119,070 |
| Colorado | $93,050 | $90,294 | 27,880 |
| New Jersey | $88,190 | $81,053 | 22,990 |
| Minnesota | $87,510 | $88,734 | 21,280 |
| Rhode Island | $86,240 | $84,318 | 3,210 |
Is Search Marketing Strategist a growing career?
Search Marketing Strategists6.7%
All US occupations3.1%
+6.7% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Search Marketing Strategists to change 6.7% over 2024–2034, roughly 2.2× the 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 63,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 87,200 openings are projected each year, 9.3% of the 941,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth is expected to be driven by an increasing use of data and market research across many industries. These workers 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 increase in the collection and analyses of big data, extremely large sets of information, such as social media comments or online product reviews, can provide insight on consumer behaviors and preferences. Businesses will need market research analysts to conduct analyses of this data and information.
How to become a Search Marketing Strategist
Market research analysts typically need a bachelor’s degree. Some employers require or prefer that job candidates have a master’s degree. Strong research and analytical skills are essential.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Medium preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | None |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as search marketing strategists.
- Bachelor's Degree47.8%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)21.7%
- Some College Courses17.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.7%
- High School Diploma4.4%
What does a Search Marketing Strategist do?
Employ search marketing tactics to increase visibility and engagement with content, products, or services in Internet-enabled devices or interfaces. Examine search query behaviors on general or specialty search engines or other Internet-based content. Analyze research, data, or technology to understand user intent and measure outcomes for ongoing optimization.
Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service. They help companies understand what products people want, who will buy them, and at what price.
Day-to-day tasks
- Manage tracking and reporting of search-related activities and provide analyses to marketing executives.
- Optimize digital assets, such as text, graphics, or multimedia assets, for search engine optimization (SEO) or for display and usability on internet-connected devices.
- Collect and analyze Web metrics, such as visits, time on site, page views per visit, transaction volume and revenue, traffic mix, click-through rates, conversion rates, cost per acquisition, or cost per click.
- Participate in the development or implementation of online marketing strategy.
- Optimize Web site exposure by analyzing search engine patterns to direct online placement of keywords or other content.
- Coordinate with developers to optimize Web site architecture, server configuration, or page construction for search engine consumption and optimal visibility.
- Assist in setting up or optimizing analytics tools for tracking visitors' behaviors.
- Identify appropriate Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and report key metrics from digital campaigns.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where search marketing strategists work
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 10% |
|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 9% |
| Information | 9% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 7% |
| Wholesale trade | 7% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.8/5
- Active Learning3.8/5
- Speaking3.6/5
- Writing3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
- Learning Strategies2.9/5
Transferable skills
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Systems Analysis3.4/5
- Systems Evaluation3.4/5
- Coordination3.3/5
- Persuasion3.3/5
- Instructing3.1/5
- Time Management3.1/5
Tools and software
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Sales and marketing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Search Marketing Strategist?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic1.0
Investigativeprimary3.8
Artistic3.2
Social2.8
Enterprisingprimary5.5
Conventionalprimary4.7
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Search Marketing Strategist: frequently asked questions
How much do Search Marketing Strategists make?
Search Marketing Strategists earn a median of $78,760 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 54% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $37.87/hr. The middle half earn between $58,350 and $108,310. The top 10% earn $155,480 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Search Marketing Strategist?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Search Marketing Strategists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.8% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Search Marketing Strategist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 6.7% over 2024–2034, more than double the 3.1% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 87,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Search Marketing Strategist do?
Market research analysts study consumer preferences, business conditions, and other factors to assess potential sales of a product or service. A core O*NET task: manage tracking and reporting of search-related activities and provide analyses to marketing executives. Employers most often ask for Business intelligence and data analysis software, Data base management system software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Search Marketing Strategists the most?
The highest state medians for Search Marketing Strategists are Massachusetts ($101,810), Delaware ($101,270), New York ($98,580) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Delaware moves to the top at $101,465.
What personality type suits a Search Marketing Strategist?
O*NET scores Search Marketing Strategists highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.