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Job outlook for interactive digital media specialists in the United States
Are interactive digital media specialist jobs in demand?
Interactive digital media specialist job and salary trends over time
Interactive digital media specialist jobs over time
Interactive digital media specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 6 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 6 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 6 | 0.00% |
Average interactive digital media specialist salary over time
Interactive digital media specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $123,149 | $59.21 | +2.7% |
| 2024 | $119,894 | $57.64 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $117,639 | $56.56 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $116,267 | $55.90 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $113,757 | $54.69 | +2.2% |
Interactive digital media specialist jobs by state
Most common states for interactive digital media specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 170 | 24% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 112 | 12% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 71 | 11% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 589 | 9% |
| 5 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 91 | 9% |
| 6 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 234 | 8% |
| 7 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 57 | 8% |
| 8 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 47 | 8% |
| 9 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 94 | 7% |
| 10 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,201 | 6% |
| 11 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 765 | 6% |
| 12 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 352 | 6% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 338 | 6% |
| 14 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 236 | 6% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 110 | 6% |
| 16 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 107 | 6% |
| 17 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 67 | 6% |
| 18 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 50 | 6% |
| 19 | Alaska | 739,795 | 48 | 6% |
| 20 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 441 | 5% |
Most common cities for interactive digital media specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 1 | 0% | $112,550 |
Interactive Digital Media Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of interactive digital media specialist experts
University of North Texas
Duquesne University
California Baptist University
Cedar Crest College
California Lutheran University
Andrews University
West Virginia State University
Iowa State University
Montclair State University
Heidelberg University
Claremont Graduate University
WorldatWork
Brittany McElroy
Senior LecturerUniversity of North Texas
Mayborn School of Journalism
What skills stand out on Interactive Digital Media Specialist resumes?
Brittany McElroy: The most important thing is to be able to do everything. The days of super-specialized jobs where you could learn to do just one or two things are gone. A diverse skill set is so important. The second thing I would say students graduating and wanting to work in any kind of media need is a really good understanding of audiences. There is so much competition for people's attention that you will not be successful if you don't identify your niche, understand how to capture its attention, and keep it.
What skills stand out on Interactive Digital Media 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.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Interactive Digital Media Specialists?
Dr. Mike Dillon: Media is about storytelling -- whether it's an ad, a social media campaign, a magazine story, etc. Being able to use the tools of your trade, whatever they may be -- algorithms, editing suites, etc. The most important skill, though, is understanding the essence of those tools -- what is they are intended to accomplish. If you understand that, you can easily adapt when tools change -- which they frequently do.
What skills will help Interactive Digital Media Specialists earn the most?
Dr. Mike Dillon: To not think and act in a silo, to adapt and be in a position when new opportunities arise, even if they are not in a seeming linear line from where you might be at the moment. A person who is a critical thinker with technical skills is more valuable than a person who is adept at doing what they're told with technology but has no larger sense of the how or why they use tools.
What type of skills will young Interactive Digital Media Specialists need?
MaryAnn Pearson: Graduates will need to show an incredible work ethic. Dedication, hard work, and the ability to work well in a virtual or in-person team are important skill sets. Journalism students often work for student publications, and they gain expertise and the ability to meet deadlines with excellent work.
What experience really stands out on Interactive Digital Media Specialist 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 type of skills will young Interactive Digital Media Specialists need?
Dr. Gerhard Apfelthaler Ph.D.: The pandemic's one good thing is that recent graduates will have learned to be flexible, agile, and resilient. These are skill sets that will remain invaluable for companies in the future. Companies will need graduates who are creative problem-solvers and excellent communicators. But it's undoubtedly also crucial that everyone develops strong skillsets around data, which is the most important currency of the economy these days.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Interactive Digital Media Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Kimberly Pichot: I see two marketing areas that have grown during the pandemic: First, graduates with a strong background in digital and social marketing will have an advantage over other marketing students' groups. Second, graduates with robust analytics, market research, and KPI measurement skills will also be in demand. As the world shifted to increased online purchases, these marketing areas have continued to grow, while the more traditional marketing areas are experiencing a slowdown with the rest of the economy.
What general advice would you give to an Interactive Digital Media Specialist?
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.
What Interactive Digital Media Specialist 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.
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 Interactive Digital Media Specialists?
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 experience really stands out on Interactive Digital Media Specialist resumes?
Dr. Ali Ziyati Ph.D: The nature of practical experiences and where they took place always stand out in any resume. I would pay close attention to the academic aspect and align with those practical experiences to see the level of the candidate's planning, performance, and dedication to his/her dream job.
Geoffrey Sauer Ph.D.
Associate Professor; Director, ISU English Undergraduate Studies; Director, ISU Studio for New MediaIowa State University
Department of English
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Interactive Digital Media Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Geoffrey Sauer Ph.D.: Today, my students are quite experienced with precarity, a word that's become popular this year (which refers to environments dominated by precarious conditions). This means that many are well-suited to changing circumstances and varying methods of working on teams. Though the high unemployment rate in the US-led to reduced job listings last summer, employers have told me that they've been very impressed with the students they do hire. Many established workers have little experience with different ways to manage distance collaboration. Still, full-time students graduating this December will have had at least 10-12 courses, and those graduating next May will have had at least 15-18 courses taught online (or mostly online). This means new graduates will have had more diverse experiences with collaboration in remote teams under different professors/supervisors, which will allow them to see an extensive range of leadership styles and techniques to manage people working together at a distance. Distance collaboration is here to stay, and today's students will have superior skills and diverse experience working in such environments.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Interactive Digital Media Specialist job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Keith Strudler Ph.D.: As for trends, I think the most obvious is that media companies, in particular, will pay close attention to their distribution and economic models. Indeed, some networks are doing very well through the crisis, while others, including potentially movie studios and companies focused on major live sports, have found more roadblocks. So this may vary by sector and distribution model -- and it all stands to change as companies adapt and find new ways to create content and tell stories. I believe that graduates with experience using the range of new cloud-based, robotic, and remote tools and processes will have an obvious advantage.
What skills stand out on Interactive Digital Media Specialist 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.
Nathan Cutietta
Director of the Gaming, Esports & Media, Assistant Professor of Communication and MediaHeidelberg University
Communication & Media Department
What type of skills will young Interactive Digital Media Specialists need?
Nathan Cutietta: While the exact skills that young graduates will need in the future years are impossible to predict, since they may not have even been invented yet, there are essential skills that they will need no matter where the future takes us. These skills include being a good communicator, a self-starter with grit, and of course, the ability to empathize with others and treat people as part of the team. Most of the skills that I think are important would fall under "leadership," no matter what their discipline is.
If someone wants to work an entry-level job in any field, they will most likely go a trade school route whereas, if they go for a traditional education path, they most likely want to be leaders in their field. Leadership is a skill that can be applied across disciplines, making that student with a degree in darkroom film photography much more marketable. Heidelberg University believes in this so much that we offer an MBA to any undergrad student for free.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Interactive Digital Media Specialists to find work opportunities?
Nathan Cutietta: The job market in Texas seems to be booming in the United States. To be successful, a graduate should be willing to go where the opportunity is. Sometimes the places with the worst economic problems have the most effective options for someone with a specialized skill, since no one wants to live there.
How do you envision technology impacting Interactive Digital Media Specialists in the next 5 years?
Nathan Cutietta: COVID has changed everything, and no one knows what going back to "normal" will look like. I think we will only continue to use more and more technology as we move forward. This trend started 10,000 years ago and, with the occasional bump in the road (Dark Ages), will continue. Who knows, tomorrow's grads may be commuting to their job on SpaceX.
Eve Oishi Ph.D.
Associate Professor and ChairClaremont Graduate University
Cultural Studies Department
What general advice would you give to an Interactive Digital Media Specialist?
Eve Oishi Ph.D.: Students who receive a degree in ethnic or gender studies are sure to have received substantial training in how to identify and analyze structural inequality, cultural and political power dynamics, and historical trends. These are all tools that are highly useful and transferrable to innumerable fields. Many students face pressure from their families to avoid areas like these because they won't give them "practical" career training.
At the start of their careers, my advice to graduates would be to remember that the skills they have in critical thinking, writing, and understanding the most pressing issues of the current time, are skills that will make them attractive to employers in many fields. Be creative and bold in highlighting all of your diverse talents. Even if your skillset is not legible to your family or community, you can showcase it in your job search.
What general advice would you give to an Interactive Digital Media Specialist?
Steve Boddy: Graduates should expect fewer full-time employment opportunities. In some cases these opportunities will be accompanied by enhanced well-being benefits but lower salaries. There may be more contract and seasonal opportunities in the short term, which typically will not offer highly valued benefits like health insurance, retirement, and paid time off.
Full-time employment opportunities and competitive hiring wages are expected in high growth industries like technology, health care, logistics and distribution, and other essential jobs. These are most often accompanied with full benefits, which most recently has included increased offerings in well-being, remote work opportunities, and flexible schedules. However, most other organizations will offer fewer full time employment opportunities and potentially lower wages in job offers (due to supply of jobs and abundance of grads). Other reasons for downward pressure on salaries may include the graduates willingness to accept lower rates in favor of the option to work from home or desired geography. Lastly, more college grads are taking seasonal/contract roles, and may miss out on critical benefit offerings that are reserved for employees only (which often account for ~25 - 35% of their total rewards package).
So why does it matter? In all likelihood, new graduates may not start on the career path they envisioned for themselves, and will likely see slower wage growth over time. According to the WorldatWork 2020-2021 Salary Budget Survey released in August of this year, "The national total salary budget increase average fell this year - dropping to 2.9% - notably sudden, and somewhat expected, due to economic uncertainty. This decline represents a pronounced departure from the anticipated increase to 3.3% projected for 2020 a year ago." This is a tough time to be entering the workforce. The key is to be flexible in their job search. Graduates may have to sacrifice some benefits like healthcare and retirement in order to get "their foot in the door." The current reality is new college graduates are facing the worst job market in over a decade with more competition and lower salaries.