Media buyer demographics and statistics in the US
Media buyer demographics research summary. Zippia estimates media buyer demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our media buyer estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about media buyers after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 8,702 media buyers currently employed in the United States.
- 69.9% of all media buyers are women, while 30.1% are men.
- The average media buyer age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of media buyers is White (66.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.2%), Black or African American (8.9%) and Asian (7.7%).
- Media buyers are most in-demand in New York, NY.
- Burlington, VT pays an annual average wage of $82,779, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women media buyers earned 96% of what men earned.
- Mississippi is the best state for media buyers to live.
- Media buyers are 80% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Media buyer demographics by:
Media buyer gender statistics
69.9% of media buyers are women and 30.1% of media buyers are men.
- Female, 69.9%
- Male, 30.1%
Media buyer gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 69.9% |
| Male | 30.1% |
Media buyer gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$77,526
Female income
$74,754
Media buyer gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in media buyer positions over time. Currently, 69.9% of media buyers are female.
Media buyer gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 29.48% | 70.52% |
| 2011 | 28.44% | 71.56% |
| 2012 | 29.99% | 70.01% |
| 2013 | 30.94% | 69.06% |
| 2014 | 30.04% | 69.96% |
| 2015 | 29.33% | 70.67% |
| 2016 | 29.77% | 70.23% |
| 2017 | 29.92% | 70.08% |
| 2018 | 30.55% | 69.45% |
| 2019 | 29.32% | 70.68% |
| 2020 | 29.57% | 70.43% |
| 2021 | 30.08% | 69.92% |
Media buyer related jobs gender ratio
We compared media buyers with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, timber buyer and chief estimator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Wedding Coordinator | 9% | 91% |
| Conference Planning Manager | 9% | 91% |
| Human Resources Administrative Assistant | 9% | 91% |
| Media Buyer | 30% | 70% |
| Electronic Security Specialist | 94% | 6% |
| Chief Estimator | 95% | 5% |
| Timber Buyer | 97% | 3% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Media buyer demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among media buyers is White, which makes up 66.1% of all media buyers. Comparatively, 12.2% of media buyers are Hispanic or Latino and 8.9% of media buyers are Black or African American.
- White, 66.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.2%
- Black or African American, 8.9%
- Asian, 7.7%
- Unknown, 4.4%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
Media buyer race
| Media buyer race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.2% |
| Black or African American | 8.9% |
| Asian | 7.7% |
| Unknown | 4.4% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
Media buyer race and ethnicity over time
See how media buyer racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Media buyer race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 74.19% | 8.67% | 5.15% | 10.20% |
| 2011 | 72.55% | 9.76% | 6.12% | 9.79% |
| 2012 | 72.74% | 9.14% | 5.60% | 10.33% |
| 2013 | 73.41% | 9.48% | 6.13% | 8.56% |
| 2014 | 72.31% | 8.64% | 7.18% | 9.20% |
| 2015 | 73.74% | 8.50% | 6.53% | 9.09% |
| 2016 | 71.06% | 9.46% | 6.34% | 10.68% |
| 2017 | 72.43% | 7.84% | 7.74% | 9.76% |
| 2018 | 71.84% | 8.55% | 7.08% | 10.33% |
| 2019 | 71.02% | 8.37% | 7.22% | 11.04% |
| 2020 | 66.62% | 9.34% | 7.09% | 12.43% |
| 2021 | 66.09% | 8.86% | 7.67% | 12.21% |
Media buyer wage gap by race
According to our data, asian media buyers have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown media buyers have the lowest average salary at $75,873.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $75,873 |
| White | $76,835 |
| Black or African American | $78,485 |
| Asian | $78,923 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $77,555 |
Average media buyer age
See how the average age of media buyers varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Media buyer age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 55 | 48 |
| Unknown | 44 | 43 |
| Asian | 43 | 43.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 47 |
| White | 50 | 50 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 52 |
Media buyer age breakdown
The average age of media buyers is 40+ years years old, representing 72% of the media buyer population.
Media buyer age breakdown
| Media Buyer Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 72% |
| 30-40 years | 21% |
| 20-30 years | 7% |
Media buyer educational attainment
The most common degree for media buyers is bachelor's degree, with 87% of media buyers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 6% and associate degree degree at 4%.
- Bachelor's, 87%
- Associate, 6%
- Master's, 4%
- High School Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Media buyers by degree level
| Media buyer degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 87% |
| Associate | 6% |
| Master's | 4% |
| High School Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Media buyer jobs you might like
Media buyer wage gap by degree level
According to the data, media buyers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $90,729 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, media buyers earn a median annual income of $81,801 compared to $70,288 for media buyers with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $90,729 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $70,288 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $81,801 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $68,513 |
Media buyer employment statistics
Most media buyers work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where media buyers work
Below, you can see the size of companies where media buyers work.
Media buyer jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 10% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 17% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 14% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 16% |
| > 10,000 employees | 17% |
Media buyer jobs by company type
Employees with the media buyer job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most media buyers prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Media buyer jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 16% |
| Private | 80% |
| Government | 1% |
Media buyer jobs by industry
The most common industries for media buyers are media, professional and retail.
Media buyer industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 33% |
| Professional | 17% |
| Retail | 10% |
| Fortune 500 | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Education | 3% |
| Hospitality | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Media buyer turnover and employment statistics
Media buyer unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for media buyers between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Media buyer unemployment rate by year
| Year | Media buyer unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.44% |
| 2011 | 5.64% |
| 2012 | 5.01% |
| 2013 | 4.52% |
| 2014 | 2.61% |
| 2015 | 2.75% |
| 2016 | 1.99% |
| 2017 | 1.76% |
| 2018 | 1.71% |
| 2019 | 1.90% |
| 2020 | 2.63% |
| 2021 | 3.60% |
Average media buyer tenure
The average media buyer stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,476 media buyers resumes in Zippia's database.
Media buyer tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 47% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 4% |
| 11+ years | 4% |
Media buyer LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of media buyers that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Estimator | 4.41% | 11,627 |
| Media Buyer | 7.17% | - |
| Sustainment Logistics Analyst | 8.65% | 14,598 |
| Market Development Specialist | 10.00% | 82,421 |
| Funding Specialist | 11.05% | 47,806 |
| Chief Deputy Coroner | 11.64% | 14,418 |
| Professional Fundraiser | 19.25% | 43,441 |
Similar media buyer jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Estimator | 4.41% | 11,627 |
| Sustainment Logistics Analyst | 8.65% | 14,598 |
| Market Development Specialist | 10.00% | 82,421 |
| Funding Specialist | 11.05% | 47,806 |
| Chief Deputy Coroner | 11.64% | 14,418 |
| Professional Fundraiser | 19.25% | 43,441 |
Foreign languages spoken by media buyers
The most common foreign language among media buyers is Spanish at 59.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 6.6% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.5%.
- Spanish, 59.3%
- French, 6.6%
- Chinese, 5.5%
- Portuguese, 3.3%
- Italian, 3.3%
- Other, 22.0%
Media buyer languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 59.3% |
| French | 6.6% |
| Chinese | 5.5% |
| Portuguese | 3.3% |
| Italian | 3.3% |
| Other | 22.0% |
