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Job outlook for digital media planners in the United States
Are digital media planner jobs in demand?
Digital media planner job and salary trends over time
Digital media planner jobs over time
Digital media planner job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,871 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,893 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,895 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,828 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,765 | 0.00% |
Average digital media planner salary over time
Digital media planner salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,361 | $26.62 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $53,898 | $25.91 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $52,884 | $25.43 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $52,267 | $25.13 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $51,139 | $24.59 | +2.2% |
Digital media planner jobs by state
Most common states for digital media planners
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 205 | 30% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 124 | 13% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 77 | 12% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 706 | 10% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 130 | 10% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 276 | 9% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 98 | 9% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 66 | 9% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 63 | 9% |
| 10 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 987 | 8% |
| 11 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 478 | 8% |
| 12 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 447 | 8% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 283 | 8% |
| 14 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 48 | 8% |
| 15 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,398 | 7% |
| 16 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 618 | 7% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 412 | 7% |
| 18 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 279 | 7% |
| 19 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 139 | 7% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 117 | 7% |
Most common cities for digital media planners
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | El Dorado Hills | 1 | 2% | $64,261 |
| 2 | Fort Lauderdale | 2 | 1% | $53,427 |
| 3 | Seattle | 1 | 0% | $71,594 |
Digital Media Planner job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of digital media planner experts
Seattle University
Rowan University
Dominican University of California
Cedar Crest College
Andrews University
West Virginia State University
Temple University
Montclair State University
What skills stand out on Digital Media Planner resumes?
Dr. Jiangmeng Helen Liu Ph.D.: When evaluating a resume for an entry-level public relations (PR) position, such as account coordinator, the first thing an agency looks at is writing ability, including an ability to organize information. This tells you the recent graduate's key strategic communication skills are in place. Next would be relevant PR experience (e.g., school projects, internships, volunteering), especially experience with real-world projects. How the graduate describes their experience is another strong demonstration of their essential PR skills (e.g., writing skill, research skill, creativity, leadership, etc.) This is much more persuasive than simply listing a few words under the "Skills" section of their resumes.
While real-world experience is highly important, what most stands out is an ability to identify and effectively communicate specific outcomes from experience. If the candidate can attach some quantifiable measurements to their accomplishments, that would stand out even more. Most college graduates are good at listing their experiences; the few that take the extra step to cite accomplishments go immediately to the top of the list.
Julia Richmond Ph.D.
Assistant ProfessorRowan University
Public Relations and Advertising
What skills stand out on Digital Media Planner resumes?
Julia Richmond Ph.D.: Public Relations (PR) is strategic communication that builds, maintains, and repairs relations between organizations and their publics. Individuals who wish to succeed in PR roles should focus on developing communication competencies, improving time management skills, and fostering flexibility in their professional pursuits. As the industry continues to change due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, job seekers need to prove that they can produce clear, timely, and relevant work while demonstrating their ability to build relationships virtually as well as in person.
Successful practitioners in PR must be expert communicators with the capability to develop relationships with their constituents. It is not enough for candidates to speak well and write proficiently; they must also build meaningful connections. Further, PR professionals must adopt a writing style that reflects the needs of a diverse and global audience through inclusive and equitable means. PR professionals must communicate via numerous social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, along with integrating virtual communication modalities such as video conferencing, voice-over communication, and instant messaging. These communication skills have become increasingly important for cultivating relations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Time management is also a key skillset when considering a job in PR. In the context of PR campaigns, projects can be large, detailed, and fast-paced. Professionals utilize time management skills to forecast the scope of a project, manage the expectations of clients, and maintain schedules of benchmark data collection. In the context of day-to-day work, contemporary professionals can work from home, which might lead to procrastination and time-wasting. Time management skills help professionals stay on task and succeed during the day. With the increased erosion of the 9-5 workday, PR practitioners must set and maintain their own time boundaries and goals.
Finally, flexibility is an important skill set for public relations practitioners. When communicating on behalf of the organization, professionals must be open to the unique needs of various publics. When designing a public relations strategy, PR personnel cannot merely rely on past campaigns without considering the dynamics of the current case. In an ever-changing media environment, practitioners must exhibit flexibility in their approach to communication. The best practices in PR are constantly changing, and therefore the best practitioners in PR must be willing and able to change too.
The greatest part of preparing for a career in PR is that candidates can begin working on their career skills today. Job seekers can develop their verbal and written communication skills by writing and speaking to other professionals. Future practitioners can improve time management strategies by using planners, utilizing digital appointment applications, and working consistently to form positive scheduling habits. Moreover, job seekers can read campaigns and case studies by consulting professional organizations like The Arthur Page Society and The Public Relations Student Society of America.
Bradley Van Alstyne Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Communications, Coordinator, Online Learning and Development, Chair of the Communications and Media Studies DepartmentDominican University of California
Communication and Media Studies
What skills will help Digital Media Planners earn the most?
Bradley Van Alstyne Ph.D.: The hard skills (audio and video) usually get you the job, but the soft skills allow you to keep it and grow!
What experience really stands out on Digital Media Planner resumes?
Dr. Jill Purdy: "This is partially answered previously. I think students found time to be more self-reliant and independent. Hopefully, not to a fault as they move into their careers.
On resumes, we may see more of the soft skills described. It may sound counterintuitive, but I think a different kind of interpersonal skill was developed. On a Zoom call, what do we have but people and we have to figure out how to get our message across, collaborate, debate, and communicate effectively without extraneous factors. "
What Digital Media Planner skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kimberly Pichot: If a graduate chooses to take a gap year, I recommend that they still take on activities to help them develop more skills. Find a nonprofit to volunteer and ask them if they could use your skills. Treat it as an internship or a job and find ways to hone your skills. Some skills marketing majors can focus on including social media content and campaign planning and delivery, digital marketing, and measurement. Build your portfolio with quantifiable results. Whether volunteering for one organization or several short stints in different organizations, engage in activities that will enhance your portfolio and demonstrate to future employers that you are growing.
What general advice would you give to a Digital Media Planner?
Kimberly Pichot: If connections were meaningful before, now they are more than crucial. Find ways to connect with marketing professionals, join the American Marketing Association, and join a local chapter. Take the time to build a strong portfolio, develop your brand, and stay out there, no matter how hard it is. And consider starting a side hustle that utilizes your most treasured part of marketing - starting and running a small business while you job hunt will give you some extra skills and push you to new levels.
Dr. Ali Ziyati Ph.D
ProfessorWest Virginia State University
Department of Communications & Media Studies
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Digital Media Planners?
Dr. Ali Ziyati Ph.D: Graduates are also citizens of the world. This is a global pandemic, and we are all in it. Given the political economy of the coronavirus, many organizations are going through tough times. There will be fewer job opportunities for all graduates. The field of communication, on the other hand, maybe an exception. We learned it the hard way. We had to stay home, work, teach, and learn remotely. We filled our long days with entertainment, games, etc. We shared moments with family and loved ones virtually. The opportunities for internet-based media are endless. The essential item I retain from this experience is that media and communication technologies are central and our graduates.
What type of skills will young Digital Media Planners need?
Dr. Ali Ziyati Ph.D: Media and technology literacy is of utmost importance. In communication and media studies at West Virginia State University, we do everything we can to provide our graduates with media literacy skills: video, audio, film, public relations, graphic design, etc. In general, graduates have to be excellent in computer and internet-based communication in terms of production and media content distribution. Specific skills include, but are not limited to, graphic design, editing, writing, research, and data analysis.
What skills stand out on Digital Media Planner resumes?
David T. Z. Mindich Ph.D.: At Temple Journalism, we emphasize skills and practices that stand out on resumes. First, we send students out onto the streets of Philadelphia, the nation's fourth-largest media market, to report on a range of important, urban-related issues, from housing to wealth inequality to systemic racism to the pandemic to gentrification to education and beyond. Second, we teach storytelling across media platforms. Even though we are in a pandemic, students continue to report on pressing issues (while practicing safe distancing). When they graduate, they will have an important body of work to present.
What skills stand out on Digital Media Planner resumes?
Dr. Keith Strudler Ph.D.: Particularly as organizations are planning not just for the present but also for the post-pandemic future, where employees continue to work remotely and more flexibly than before. I believe that they will continue to want new employees who know how to use digital and remote tools and practices. So those that can comfortably use tools like Slack, Google Meets, and also disciplinary-specific media tools like Studio 6, VMIX, and Frankie, the better positioned they are for a new position. I also think students who have a wide range of skills and can problem solve (as opposed to being tied to one way of doing things) are far more valuable -- which should drive the way universities teach in the future. Finally, given the continued growth of social media, I think students who know how to use social media listening, analytics, and management tools will have a strong advantage and students who can effectively create content for social and understand audience.