Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for digital specialists in the United States
Are digital specialist jobs in demand?
Digital specialist job and salary trends over time
Digital specialist jobs over time
Digital specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,354 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 1,284 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 1,262 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 1,187 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 1,110 | 0.00% |
Average digital specialist salary over time
Digital specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $61,349 | $29.49 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $59,466 | $28.59 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $58,841 | $28.29 | --0.2% |
| 2023 | $58,944 | $28.34 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $58,319 | $28.04 | +0.7% |
Digital specialist jobs by state
Most common states for digital specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 256 | 37% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 201 | 21% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,178 | 17% |
| 4 | Vermont | 623,657 | 109 | 17% |
| 5 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 388 | 13% |
| 6 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 133 | 13% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 78 | 13% |
| 8 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 93 | 12% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 88 | 12% |
| 10 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,393 | 11% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,118 | 11% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 696 | 11% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 639 | 11% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 361 | 11% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 216 | 11% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 186 | 11% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 152 | 11% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 120 | 11% |
| 19 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 95 | 11% |
| 20 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 870 | 10% |
Most common cities for digital specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Annapolis | 3 | 8% | $60,621 |
| 2 | Frankfort | 2 | 7% | $48,059 |
| 3 | Juneau | 2 | 6% | $54,369 |
| 4 | Casa Grande | 2 | 4% | $52,996 |
| 5 | Lansing | 3 | 3% | $58,682 |
| 6 | Springfield | 3 | 3% | $61,547 |
| 7 | Tallahassee | 4 | 2% | $38,948 |
| 8 | Boulder | 2 | 2% | $61,424 |
| 9 | Hartford | 2 | 2% | $73,845 |
| 10 | Atlanta | 5 | 1% | $46,842 |
| 11 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $89,395 |
| 12 | Baton Rouge | 2 | 1% | $48,647 |
| 13 | Des Moines | 2 | 1% | $54,024 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 4 | 0% | $53,576 |
| 15 | Boston | 3 | 0% | $75,714 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 3 | 0% | $67,406 |
| 17 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $66,905 |
| 18 | Jacksonville | 2 | 0% | $38,448 |
Digital Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of digital specialist experts
Montana State University - Billings
University of Connecticut
University of South Florida
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
Murray State University
California State University - Chico
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Southern University and A & M College
Indiana University Bloomington
Catholic University of America
Lasell University
Webster University
Western Connecticut State University
University of North Georgia
Duquesne University
University of Central Oklahoma
Southern Connecticut State University
Idaho State University
Saint Leo University
What will help Digital Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Sarah Keller: Digital strategies of persuasion; finding out what works to build engagement and action online; research evaluating social media strategies.
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Scott Wallace: The media market is in a state of flux right now, with many new companies stepping in to the fill the void left by the disappearance of local newspapers. Technology has evolved to the point where a resourceful Digital Media Specialist can perform tasks that once required at least 3-4 people, from writing articles to shooting, editing and posting videos and photos on news sites or social media. It’s an exciting time to be entering the field!
What will help Digital Specialists increase their earning potential?
Scott Wallace: One of the beauties of this career is that every day is different. A Digital Media Specialist might be sent out to cover an outdoor concert one day or flooding in a local community the next. A Digital Media Specialist needs to develop a range of skills that include recognizing a good story and being able to tell it with crisp, clear writing and strong visuals. It’s a wonderful way to connect with people from all walks of life. A successful professional will keep up on the news and be keeping a watchful eye on event calendars to seek out opportunities for great storytelling!
Jay Civitillo
University of South Florida
Business/Commerce
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jay Civitillo: Good evening, Attached are my responses. I look forward to reviewing the draft. Have a great weekend!
Dr. Joseph Harasta Jr
Associate ProfessorKutztown University of Pennsylvania
Radio, Television, And Digital Communication
What general advice would you give to a Digital Specialist?
Dr. Joseph Harasta Jr: Digital Media Specialists essentially develop campaigns that further an organization’s mission or purpose, aligned with its brand. Being digital in nature, these campaigns encompass social media and online content. In many ways digital media specialists are public relations practitioners who concentrate in online content and development.
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Joseph Harasta Jr: Because digital media specialists must adhere to the brand and image of an organization, some might feel stifled as far as what they can and cannot do from a creative standpoint. Also, once something is put out in the online world, it’s there forever and of course can be seen by millions of people, so any mistake or misstep is not likely to go away quickly or easily. We all know that the online world, especially social media can be rather toxic and negative in nature, therefore it can take someone with a bit of thick skin to deal with critics or trolls who just wait for any mistake to bounce. Digital media specialists must work in a oftentimes nasty environment that is the internet.
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Elizabeth Thomas: Digital media is still very fresh territory. It is ever-evolving. Companies, brands, and agencies are looking to hire talented professionals with any training or experience with these relatively new sets of tasks. The most experienced people working in the communications field did not learn how to work with newer digital media when they were being trained because these literally didn't exist when most started their careers. This is why there are currently more jobs available than there are qualified applicants to fill them. As a college professor teaching public relations and digital technologies, I encourage soon-to-be graduates to hone their skills in this area because the jobs are plentiful and their expertise is not only needed but will be rewarded.
What will help Digital Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stefanie Boyer: To maximize your salary potential, first choose a company that offers opportunities for advancement. Understand what it takes to make more money and talk to your boss early about company priorities and how you can take on more responsibilities if you do your job well. Keep an eye on the company's long-term goals and learn skills that will help you become the perfect candidate for those key positions. Be a self-directed learner who uses a variety of resources to continue learning and developing new skills while establishing strategic relationships within the organization. But don't get too caught up in the future; you must take the necessary steps and perform your duties well. There are no shortcuts to hard work and effort, which develop your character and experience on the job.
What will help Digital Specialists increase their earning potential?
Cassandra Faith: Take advantage of every opportunity to learn something new. Attend conferences, take classes, learn new skills. It all adds up.
Sally Baalbaki-Yassine Ph.D.
Department Chair, Professor and Digital Marketing Program DirectorMetropolitan State University of Denver
Marketing
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sally Baalbaki-Yassine Ph.D.: Digital Marketing is booming, so knowing how to use AI to make your work more efficient is very important. AI will not replace you, but the person who knows how to use AI better than you will replace you. Communication skills are also very important, knowing how to communicate (which includes good listening skills) is important in any marketing role.
Vanessa Ferchaud Ph.D.
Assistant Research ProfessorSouthern University and A & M College
Agriculture
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Vanessa Ferchaud Ph.D.: One can Maximize their salary potential when staring a new career by:
Acquire Leadership Skills and Developmental Skills along your Journey working for
Company
Learn to accept Constructive Criticism so you can increase Trust, Motivation and Engagement
as a New Team Player
- Be Dependable
- Become a Fast Learner
- Make sure your work is done Professionally and Complete
- Acquire Advance Degrees
Professor Steve Vinson
Director of Undergraduate StudiesIndiana University Bloomington
Middle/Near Eastern And Semitic Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Steve Vinson: Digital skills, especially AI.
What will help Digital Specialists increase their earning potential?
Professor Steve Vinson: By being flexible, and by standing out. Cultivate multiple skills that complement your area studies/language skills, especially digital skills.
Chad Smith
Director of Legal ProgramsCatholic University of America
Legal Research And Advanced Professional Studies
What general advice would you give to a Digital Specialist?
Chad Smith: E-Discovery & Digital Research, cloud-based computing & related PC skills, and communication. Our world is becoming more digital every day and having the skills to perform your job remotely using various digital and cloud-based is a necessity. Communication is also paramount as with the increase in working digitally/remotely you have to be an effective communicator.
Meryl Perlson MFA
Professor & Chair, CommunicationLasell University
Communication And Media Studies
What general advice would you give to a Digital Specialist?
Meryl Perlson MFA: As technology, including generative AI, makes it easier to produce content, it will become harder for organizations to break through the glut of messages. I anticipate increasing demand for digital storytelling skills - graduates who can harness, words, images and especially video to produce multimedia content for different platforms. Social media expertise - understanding how to track trends, engage audiences and measure the impact of messages to inform strategy - will also be increasingly valuable. Perennial list toppers like interpersonal communication (both virtual and in-person), problem solving and teamwork skills will continue to be important.
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Meryl Perlson MFA: Technology and software skills, multiple internship experiences, and a strong portfolio showcasing your skill set can be salary differentiators when landing a first job. Most important, though, is negotiating salary. New graduates often think they can't negotiate their starting salary and are often afraid to try. But, it's important to know your value by researching salary ranges for similar roles in the region, and use that information to negotiate. The worst that can happen is a company will stick to their first offer. But, if you are successful, even a couple of thousand dollars above an initial offer can have a big impact when multiplied over the course of your entire career.
Rebecca Guth-Metzler
Assistant Professor of ChemistryWebster University
Radio, Television, And Digital Communication
What general advice would you give to a Digital Specialist?
Rebecca Guth-Metzler: Become a problem solver. As things continue to evolve at a breakneck pace, one thing remains constant: people hire you to solve a problem they have. Once you have an opportunity to solve that problem, prove that you can solve other problems. The more problems you figure out how to solve, the more you become indispensable to a team. And if your current employer cannot pay you what you're worth, you can use the experience gained while demonstrably solving their problems to find one that can.
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rebecca Guth-Metzler: The integration of captured media such as sound and image recordings with computer-assisted elements will continue to define the digital creator toolbox, and I believe that motion graphics, visual effects, image retouching, sound design, and especially what we're now calling "virtual cinema production" will all continue to grow in importance in the next few years.
JC Barone Ph.D.
ProfessorWestern Connecticut State University
Communication And Media Studies
What Digital Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
JC Barone Ph.D.: The first two questions are interwoven. Media and digital literacy are increasingly essential when entering (and remaining in) the job market. Being able to interpret and analyze information critically is important. Understanding analytics and being knowledgeable in emerging technology, AI, and IoT are crucial. When I speak to industry professionals, I hear how flexibility and adaptability are necessary. Problem-solving and creative solutions are highly valued. Strong writing skills (yes, spelling and grammar) count! Soft skills are just as important as being tech-savvy-- effective communication, empathy, listening, and conflict resolution are necessary to work with others. Being an "always learner" committed to collaborating effectively with diverse teams shows a commitment to cultural competence and evolving to stay relevant and valued.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Digital Specialists?
Mary Norman: -Project management skills
-Knowledge of key marketing tools and analytics:
-Social media tools like Hootsuite, Google analytics, etc.
-Design tools like Canva, Photoshop, Illustrator
-Email and Survey tools like Mailchimp and Survey Monkey
-SEO Tools like Google Ads
-Digital/Social Media Marketing Skills in the following areas:
-Email marketing
-Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEM/SEO)
-Email marketing
-Content marketing - ability to create content for social media and additional formats like blogs, etc.
-Social Media marketing through top platforms: i.e., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, etc.
-Data Analysis - mining insights into customer behavior based on website and social media analytics
-Trendwatching / Consumer insights
What skills stand out on Digital Specialist resumes?
Dr. Mike Dillon: Evidence (courses, internships, other experience) that demonstrates competence in communicating with a wide array of audiences across multiple platforms. Our journalism program, for instance, is multiplatform: students learn to write, edit, shoot video, create podcasts, adapt stories to fit the requirements of multiple platforms, etc. Basically, we want to send students out of here like Swiss Army Knives -- able to work in their area of proficiency, be that writing or videography, but also adept with a wide variety of other competencies.
Stacia Wert-Gray Ph.D.
Professor of Marketing, ChairpersonUniversity of Central Oklahoma
Department of Marketing
What soft skills should all Digital Specialists possess?
Stacia Wert-Gray Ph.D.: Communication is important in any job but especially in marketing. These professionals must be able to communicate with customers/clients about product/service benefits and must be able to listen and represent the needs of customers/clients to their own company.
What skills will help Digital Specialists earn the most?
Stacia Wert-Gray Ph.D.: Currently, employers are looking for candidates who understand social media and search engine optimization. These forms of marketing communication are red hot in today's world because they are relatively inexpensive when compared to traditional media, and they are easier to measure outcomes. Companies are emphasizing return on marketing investment, and traditional media expenditures are not easy to quantify benefits.
Charles Gamble
Adjunct ProfessorSouthern Connecticut State University
Marketing Department
What skills will help Digital Specialists earn the most?
Charles Gamble: -Lead Generation - Customers are the lifeblood of the business. Having the ability to generate leads will make you a valuable team member.
-Writing - Positioning, value proposition, messaging, and effective written communication are foundational to promoting or selling a product or service
-Data Analysis - Almost everything in marketing can be measured now. Data analytics can help to measure, improve and report on the performance of all marketing activities.
-Scalability - Always look to make a greater impact and operate on a larger scale.
-Leadership - As a marketer, you have the opportunity to work with almost every department in the business. Look how you can empower your team, as well as other departments, to be successful.
Dr. Alexander Rose
Assistant Professor of MarketingIdaho State University
Marketing Department
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Digital Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Alexander Rose: Digitalization. You're likely to see jobs with a focus on digital skills. They're likely to have remote work components. They're likely to be freelance or contract-based as well as the gig economy expands into other services.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Digital Specialists to find work opportunities?
Dr. Keith Jones Ph.D.: As we continue to transition through the Covid pandemic one of the things that most companies have realized is people can work outside the office and be successful. They have learned that electronic/digital meetings can be as productive as an in-person meeting but less expensive. As a result, companies will adapt their practices and focus more on the skill set of the individual and not where the person is located.
Yes, there will continue to be hot spots but this is changing. The best places to find opportunities will be through their social media presence through platforms like LinkedIn and trade-specific digital groups. Graduates have to look beyond a desired geographic location and focus more on the career position.