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Job outlook for marketing communications associates in the United States
Marketing communications associate job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected marketing communications associate job growth rate is 19% from 2018-2028.
About 150,300 new jobs for marketing communications associates are projected over the next decade.
Marketing communications associate salaries have increased 5% for marketing communications associates in the last 5 years.
There are over 312,565 marketing communications associates currently employed in the United States.
There are 87,787 active marketing communications associate job openings in the US.
The average marketing communications associate salary is $52,773.
Are marketing communications associate jobs in demand?
Marketing communications associate job and salary trends over time
Marketing communications associate jobs over time
Marketing communications associate job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 312,565 | 0.09% |
| 2020 | 296,446 | 0.09% |
| 2019 | 291,491 | 0.09% |
| 2018 | 274,225 | 0.08% |
| 2017 | 256,354 | 0.08% |
Average marketing communications associate salary over time
Marketing communications associate salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $52,773 | $25.37 | +3.2% |
| 2025 | $51,153 | $24.59 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $50,616 | $24.33 | --0.2% |
| 2023 | $50,704 | $24.38 | +1.1% |
| 2022 | $50,167 | $24.12 | +0.7% |
Marketing communications associate jobs by state
Most common states for marketing communications associates
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 360 | 52% |
| 2 | Delaware | 961,939 | 275 | 29% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 167 | 27% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 144 | 25% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 305 | 23% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 168 | 22% |
| 7 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 182 | 21% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 217 | 20% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 248 | 19% |
| 10 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,507 | 18% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,202 | 18% |
| 12 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,007 | 18% |
| 13 | Alaska | 739,795 | 134 | 18% |
| 14 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 523 | 17% |
| 15 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 332 | 17% |
| 16 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 881 | 16% |
| 17 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 570 | 16% |
| 18 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 166 | 16% |
| 19 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 937 | 15% |
| 20 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 253 | 15% |
Most common cities for marketing communications associates
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus | 1 | 2% | $44,915 |
| 2 | Wilmington | 1 | 1% | $79,551 |
| 3 | Washington | 3 | 0% | $55,547 |
| 4 | Boston | 2 | 0% | $56,294 |
| 5 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $52,677 |
| 6 | Baltimore | 1 | 0% | $61,357 |
| 7 | Chicago | 1 | 0% | $48,665 |
| 8 | New York | 1 | 0% | $61,619 |
| 9 | San Diego | 1 | 0% | $54,626 |
Marketing Communications Associate job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of marketing communications associate experts
University of Louisiana at Monroe
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Coastal Carolina University
Grand Valley State University
Saint Mary's College
University of Kentucky
University of San Francisco
Winthrop University
Denison University
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Arizona State University
Bowie State University
Northeastern University
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Matthew Turner Ph.D., M.B.A.: People like the flexibility and excitement that can come with being a communication specialist. You can often meet interesting and important people and travel to new places. You can get new challenges frequently so you don’t fall into a rut. One of the things that people dislike about being a communication specialist is that it can sometimes feel amorphous. They might wonder what are the most important things to learn, what skills, tools, software, etc. are most valuable and how will changing technology make that knowledge obsolete? It often involves retraining and evolving job responsibilities and positions.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Matthew Turner Ph.D., M.B.A.: Communication is central to pretty much every business and organization so someone with good communication skills will always be employable. The skills acquired in getting a degree in communication are transferable to many different career paths.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Erica Haugtvedt Ph.D.: The skills I think that will become more prevalent and important in the next 3-5 years are critical thinking skills. By critical thinking, I mean looking at the big picture and thinking about values, ethics, and thinking ahead to implications and consequences. AI will be able to produce a lot of words, but whether those words are appropriate to the situation, purpose, and context--whether those words are the words that we need--that will be something that only a conscientious and intelligent person can bring to the situation. People who are able to do that should be leaders in any field.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Andrew Wood Ph.D.: Communication Studies, a field that traces its roots back to ancient inquiries into the nature of persuasion, remains in many ways an emerging field. After all, while traditional notions of public speaking emerge from time-testing insights, our field is constantly evolving to address new challenges, modalities, and opportunities. Thus my general advice to anyone entering the field is to avoid relying solely on established career pathways. Yes, there are plenty of jobs in marketing, media production, speech writing, education, management, and the like. But the most effective job-seekers are those who are nimble, flexible, and focused on how they can articulate the value-add of their training to an organization's unique exigences.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Amy Mehaffey: A Marketing Specialist's daily tasks include developing and implementing marketing campaigns, analyzing market trends, and creating content for various platforms. They also coordinate with other departments at any given company to ensure brand consistency and monitor the effectiveness of marketing efforts through data analysis. Oftentimes, a marketing specialist may be the only person at a company who has an understanding of the importance of outreach, communication, marketing, and telling the business's story. Therefore, this person often becomes somewhat of an internal advocate for the purpose of marketing itself and acts as an educator to their peers on various marketing concepts and tactics. Day-to-day duties are highly dependent on the number of marketing people on the team, ranging from ad buying, writing, public relations, content creation, and more. Larger firms may have marketing specialists with specific emphasis areas like email marketing, social media, analytics, etc.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amy Mehaffey: There is an increasing reliance on digital marketing and data analytics in the field of marketing. Businesses understand the importance of digital technologies, online platforms, and targeted marketing, creating a high demand for skilled professionals in this dynamic and evolving field. Understanding the strategy behind marketing and the connection between data, psychology, and human behavior is crucial. Marketing offers creativity, strategic thinking, and the opportunity to see tangible results from efforts, making it a rewarding career.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Amy Mehaffey: People like being a Marketing Specialist because it offers creativity, strategic thinking, and the opportunity to see tangible results from their efforts. It can be fulfilling to help a business grow. However, individuals in this field may dislike the fast-paced environment, tight deadlines, and the constant need to stay updated with rapidly changing marketing trends and technologies. It requires risk-taking, trusting instincts, and a commitment to lifelong learning to succeed in the marketing field.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Alice Veksler Ph.D., BCPA: Practice your interpersonal skills and think about how what you have learned in your coursework translates to your chosen field of work. Teamwork, conflict resolution, social media savvy, and professionalism can make or break a career. Being able to articulate and demonstrate mastery of these skills with concrete examples during an interview can help land the job and then embodying the skillset of an excellent communicator will lead to professional success. Networking is also key so making sure that you do internships and engage with others in your chosen field helps with securing a job. Forging connections early in one's career can pay massive dividends down the road. We say that 'you get jobs by talking to people' and this maxim is especially true for a broad field like communication studies. Finally, I always encourage a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout and maximize productivity.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Zachary Moore Ph.D., M.B.A.: Marketing is a very diverse field, and salaries can vary considerably depending on the types of jobs young marketers pursue. But generally, taking a bet on oneself by pursuing jobs with a commission-based compensation plan can lead to higher earnings in the long term. In marketing, these positions tend to be in sales. Being willing to take risks and betting on yourself to succeed are important determinants of your career earnings potential.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Zachary Moore Ph.D., M.B.A.: Marketing is a dynamic, rapidly evolving field. It always has been, and it always will be. Marketing tactics are driven by the popular culture of the societies companies serve. This said, aspiring marketers must realize that as things change, they must be willing to adapt their tactics to meet the consumer where they are. However, just as things change, there are enduring truths that shape marketing practice. Consumers want to be valued and heard. By keeping these touchstones in mind and staying up to date with modern trends, marketers can develop long-lasting careers and maintain relevancy as society evolves. My biggest advice is to be a successful marketer, you must do three things: 1. Keep your customers at the heart of what you do. 2. Meet your customers where they are. 3. Create value for your customers, company, and self. If a marketer can accomplish these three things, they can develop a career that will withstand the forces of change.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Zachary Moore Ph.D., M.B.A.: Over the next few years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to evolve and become more important in marketing practice. Learning to work with AI will be a very important skill for marketers. AI skills are broad and encompass many different uses of the technology. While there are some skills that are specific to certain facets of the marketing industry, all aspiring marketers should be familiar with AI tools for content creation (written, graphic, and audio/video), data visualization, text scraping, and marketing research. While AI will certainly shape the marketing field in the coming years, marketers must still be excellent storytellers and communicators. Marketers who can tell compelling stories to various stakeholder groups using traditional tools with the assistance of artificial intelligence will have a potent skill set that will allow them to succeed in their endeavors.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Yao Sun: The world has never been so eager for enhanced communication. Individuals, parties, organizations, etc. all need conversations and dialogues to improve the understanding toward each other as well as toward the new challenges that we are facing. Being a Communication Specialist can play an important role in this regard.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Yao Sun: On a day-to-day basis, a Communication Specialist takes care of any work relevant to human interaction. This area of knowledge can be applied to a wide variety of jobs. For example, in an IT company, you can find a Communication Specialist in the marketing department for promoting the product, or in the product management department responsible for team building and knowledge integration.
Wendy Weinhold Ph.D.
Associate Professor of JournalismCoastal Carolina University
Communication And Media Studies
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Wendy Weinhold Ph.D.: Negotiation is so important whenever you start a job. Research will help you understand what people are making in similar jobs in your area, and you will be more likely to get a better offer if you know what to ask for based on what’s reasonable. Beyond salary, you can negotiate technology—such as laptop computers, tablets, phones—as well as other perks, such as professional development stipends. And remember: your first salary is just a start!
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wendy Weinhold Ph.D.: Curiosity is the most importantly thing when it comes to skill building. Your college classes have you a solid foundation, but there is always more to learn. Seek out mentors who will help you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and be open to opportunities that help you grow.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mikhila Wildey PhD: I think the ability to engage and connect with people will be very important in the field as we shift more and more to a culture that is driven by AI. Although AI can be a useful tool, it likely won’t ever fully replace the value of human interaction and connection. In addition, employers often comment that they want to see employees with strong work ethic, and I think this will continue to be the case in 3-5 years. Having a strong work ethic can separate the people that move forward in their careers to those who remain stagnant.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Mikhila Wildey PhD: My general advice for a graduate beginning their career in the field is to work hard, stay open-minded, and network! Most employees won’t stay in the same position for their entire career, and so I often tell graduates to not get too hung up on the first job needing to be the 'perfect' job for them. Often, the first job will be a place where they learn how to navigate the workplace, learn about their own strengths/weaknesses, and figure out what they like and don’t like. I encourage graduates to use this information to help them make decisions about the next steps in their career. And, if they are working hard and networking with people at their job, then opportunities will often times present themselves or be more available to them as they navigate their future career path.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Veronica Hefner: Knowing how to brand yourself, both in person and online, is becoming increasingly important. If you're networking at an event, do you have short stories or anecdotes that you can share that help you come across as interesting? A story can tell a listener about your values, work ethics, drive, and competencies much better than you sharing a laundry list of your achievements. The same thing is true when branding yourself online. Another skill is the ability to communicate, even if that sounds simple. Are you able to write a professional email? Can you carry on an intelligent conversation with a potential client? Do you know when to stop talking and actively listen? Are you able to get your message across to diverse audiences? These skills are applicable no matter what job you do.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Veronica Hefner: I would recommend that a new graduate shows up and does the work to the best of their ability. So much of success is determined by reliability, competency, and effort. Aim to achieve a work/life balance that helps you stay mentally and physically healthy, but realize that means that when you're at work, you need to work. The most successful people are not always the most talented or the most educated, but they are the ones who exert the most effort and ambition. However, when you go home at the end of the day, leave work behind and focus on yourself. Finally, show respect to others. If you disagree with them, or just don't like them, you still need to show respect. Respect diverse people, ideas, perspectives, and consider the experiences you have with people and ideas that are different from your own as a privilege that helps you learn and grow.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Dr. Travis Simkins: Likes: Creativity, Analytical and Quantitative Aspects, Variety, Impact, Collaboration. Dislikes: Pressure and Deadlines, Uncertainty, Measurement and Accountability, Constant Change
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Travis Simkins: There are a lot of great reasons to enter the field of marketing now. The demand for digital marketing skills is high, marketing blends creativity and strategy, marketing is about building relationships and understanding consumers, marketing is dynamic and constantly evolving.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Travis Simkins: Here are some activities that a marketing specialist might engage in on a day-to-day basis: Market Research, Campaign Planning and Execution, Content Creation, Digital Marketing, Brand Management, Relationship Building, Analytics and Reporting, Project Management, Continuous Learning
Ying Lu Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Kentucky
Hospitality Administration/Management
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Ying Lu Ph.D.: Communication skills. This is a service industry and requires strong communication skills to coordinate various departments and interact with diverse customers. A strong communication make you stand out in the team and make your job easier.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ying Lu Ph.D.: Introducing and instructing customers on how to use various tech equipment to have a better consumption experience.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Ying Lu Ph.D.: Work experience. Gain work experience in the industry as much as possible while studying the degree colleges. If possible, get a promotion to a supervisory position before graduation.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Tika Lamsal PhD: Since communication graduates approach the workplaces equipped with effective interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, they can vouch for aspirational positions that become both professionally competitive and individually fulfilling.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Tika Lamsal PhD: In the time when students and professionals need to cater to the increasing demands of rapidly growing globalized and digitized workplaces, cross-cultural and multilingual communication skills have become essential for a meaningful and transformative dialogue with one another.
Bonnye Stuart
Internship Coordinator, Speech Communication Coordinator, Study Abroad Adviser, Integrated Marketing Communication InstructorWinthrop University
Public Relations, Advertising, And Applied Communication
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Bonnye Stuart: First of all – have an e-portfolio of your work to show what you can do! Share that during the interview. Build trust with your employer during the interview stage that you have the skills and can-do attitude necessary to be an asset to his/her company! Be willing to go the extra mile, take on extra tasks, work long and hard on projects – all without asking if you will be paid extra for doing this!
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bonnye Stuart: Communication skills – in-person and mediated – will become more important as personal communication becomes less frequent and online communication takes center-stage. Analyzing analytics will be crucial as companies and organizations strive to 'really know' their publics behaviors and reach them where they are. Understanding Search Engine Optimization will be a great skill. Writing for a variety of formats – from long form storytelling to blogging will be important. Other skills will include videoing, photography, content creation, website editing and revision and trend watching!
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Bonnye Stuart: I would say be flexible - you may be asked to do a variety of tasks. Some tasks you may feel comfortable doing, others you may feel you don't have the experience to tackle. Be confident in your abilities – you probably know more than you think you do – especially in the areas of technology and social media. Above all, be a sponge – soak up all everything you can from soft, people skills to specific industry knowledge. You can learn from every experience in the workplace (even mundane meetings can yield much information about the culture of the company or organization and who's voice is heard and valued). There is much to learn as you begin your career, even if your first position is not your 'dream job'!
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Zack Stiegler Ph.D.: Students who have competency across multiple media technologies will become more valuable. Having a broader skill set offers flexibility to employers and is attractive in terms of efficiency.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Zack Stiegler Ph.D.: Having flexibility, willingness to learn new skills, and dedication to the organization can enhance one's value as an employee. Preserving work-life balance is also important to avoid exploitation.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Charles St-Georges Ph.D.: With American K-12 education continuing to gut the humanities and stress the importance of a STEM-only education (which is a false either/or choice, by the way), and with each new generation of college students having fewer and fewer social skills and poorer mental health due in part to an increasingly unhealthy relationship with technology, the workforce will increasingly be looking for college graduates who have people skills: effective communicators who are emotionally intelligent, culturally aware, and adept at encountering difference and navigating human complexity. A.I. is not going to provide these skills—especially when it comes to the cross-cultural communication that this increasingly globalized world will require. A quick A.I. translation from language A to language B is not going to facilitate the kind of contextually-savvy, culturally and historically-aware communication needed to combat climate change, deal with the next pandemic, or avert a major armed conflict. Or even effectively sell products, for that matter.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Charles St-Georges Ph.D.: Advocate for yourself by clearly articulating all the skills and knowledge your language degree brings with it. This is something that is often underestimated and undervalued as a pay differential conceived of strictly in terms of language competency. Let your employer know everything else your language competency brings to the table.
Sheryl McMillan
Senior Research and Outreach Development OfficerTexas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research And Clinical Nursing
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Sheryl McMillan: I am happy to help you. If you could please send me your questions, I will find just the right answers and a faculty quote in plenty of time for your deadline.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Ms. Katie Malles: The author is Katie Malles, marketing career consultant at the W. P. Carey Career Services Center.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ms. Katie Malles: The author is Katie Malles, marketing career consultant at the W. P. Carey Career Services Center.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Ms. Katie Malles: The author is Katie Malles, marketing career consultant at the W. P. Carey Career Services Center.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Dr. Rochelle Daniel: Companies expect Communication graduates to be proficient in verbal and written skills, but there is a higher expectation now and moving forward for these graduates. Both hard and soft communication skills will continue to be important for company growth. Communication graduates will be expected to continuously update their proficiency in AI tools, social media platforms, and other technology to engage organizational publics and meet their companies' expectations. Soft communication skills such as active listening, empathy, friendliness, responsiveness, respect for diversity and inclusion, and nonverbal communication will be crucial.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Rochelle Daniel: My general advice to a graduate who transitions into that first professional job in the Communication field is similar to advice I give Communication students for navigating internship workspaces (Communications Internship Handbook: What HBCU Students Need to Know, 2022). Be intentional about learning the organizational or office culture, really listen to find out what is expected of you, be flexible and adaptable when there are changes in workflow, and don't be afraid to ask questions.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rochelle Daniel: When starting a career in Communications, you can maximize your salary by demonstrating adaptability to change, willingness and eagerness to learn new skills to enhance your performance, and a willingness to solve problems.
What general advice would you give to a Marketing Communications Associate?
Rob Durant: To truly maximize the value you derive from your career, start by clearly defining what 'value' means to you - whether it's salary, job satisfaction, work-life balance, or professional growth. Understand your priorities and align your career trajectory to meet these goals. Specific steps you can take include developing a consistent habit of enhancing your skills, actively seeking opportunities that resonate with your personal definition of success, and building a strategic network within your industry and beyond.
What Marketing Communications Associate skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rob Durant: The marketing landscape is increasingly recognizing and valuing two very important, yet significantly divergent, key skill areas: the adept use of advanced digital tools - especially AI, and a strategic approach to social media that focuses on building genuine connection rather than just cultivating 'Influencers'.
What will help Marketing Communications Associates increase their earning potential?
Rob Durant: Congratulations! As you start your career, remember that the 4, 5, 5+ years you spent earning your degree did NOT equip you with all the answers. But hopefully it instilled in you the ability to ask insightful questions. Stay curious, embrace challenges, learn, and grow. Your journey is just beginning, and every experience is a step towards mastering your craft.