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Media buyer salary
Average media buyer salary
$74,390
Understanding Media Buyer Salaries
The role of a Media Buyer is pivotal in the advertising industry, focusing on purchasing advertising space and time for clients. As of October 2025, the average Media Buyer salary stands at $74,390, with variations across different states and industries.
Factors Influencing Salary
Several elements contribute to the salary range for Media Buyers, including:
- Experience Level: Entry-level positions start lower, while seasoned professionals can earn significantly more.
- Location: Salaries differ by state; for example, Media Buyers in California and New York often see higher pay compared to those in other regions.
- Industry Type: Media Buyers in technology and entertainment sectors typically earn higher salaries due to the competitive nature of these fields.
Salary Trends Over Time
Over the past few years, salaries for Media Buyers have shown a steady increase, reflecting the growing importance of digital advertising. As companies invest more in targeted advertising strategies, the demand for skilled Media Buyers continues to rise.
For those considering a career in media buying, understanding these dynamics is essential for negotiating salaries and advancing in the field.
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Where can a Media Buyer earn more?
Media buyer salary estimates from across the web
Average media buyer salary by state
The highest-paying states for media buyers are Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The lowest average media buyer salary states are South Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for media buyers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mississippi | $80,159 | $38.54 |
| 2 | Vermont | $83,120 | $39.96 |
| 3 | New Mexico | $79,791 | $38.36 |
| 4 | West Virginia | $77,511 | $37.26 |
| 5 | Washington | $81,310 | $39.09 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $81,820 | $39.34 |
| 7 | Arizona | $77,272 | $37.15 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $81,477 | $39.17 |
| 9 | Alabama | $74,983 | $36.05 |
| 10 | Nevada | $75,086 | $36.10 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $78,399 | $37.69 |
| 12 | Idaho | $74,322 | $35.73 |
| 13 | New Hampshire | $73,797 | $35.48 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $71,832 | $34.53 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $72,823 | $35.01 |
| 16 | Georgia | $72,586 | $34.90 |
| 17 | Utah | $72,114 | $34.67 |
| 18 | Kentucky | $70,678 | $33.98 |
| 19 | Ohio | $70,667 | $33.97 |
| 20 | Delaware | $72,960 | $35.08 |
| 21 | Oregon | $72,248 | $34.73 |
| 22 | Maryland | $73,143 | $35.16 |
| 23 | New York | $72,115 | $34.67 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $69,197 | $33.27 |
| 25 | Illinois | $71,493 | $34.37 |
| 26 | Wisconsin | $68,421 | $32.89 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $69,390 | $33.36 |
| 28 | Virginia | $71,249 | $34.25 |
| 29 | District of Columbia | $72,521 | $34.87 |
| 30 | Texas | $68,309 | $32.84 |
| 31 | Kansas | $67,448 | $32.43 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $68,117 | $32.75 |
| 33 | Indiana | $66,380 | $31.91 |
| 34 | California | $69,810 | $33.56 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $65,455 | $31.47 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $65,709 | $31.59 |
| 37 | Minnesota | $66,216 | $31.83 |
| 38 | Oklahoma | $65,836 | $31.65 |
| 39 | Michigan | $65,239 | $31.36 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $66,072 | $31.77 |
| 41 | Alaska | $62,239 | $29.92 |
| 42 | Maine | $63,802 | $30.67 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $62,749 | $30.17 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $61,502 | $29.57 |
| 45 | Missouri | $63,572 | $30.56 |
| 46 | Colorado | $64,586 | $31.05 |
| 47 | Montana | $60,586 | $29.13 |
| 48 | Iowa | $59,165 | $28.44 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $58,511 | $28.13 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $59,166 | $28.45 |
| 51 | Florida | $59,090 | $28.41 |
Highest paying cities for media buyers
The highest-paying cities for media buyers are Burlington, VT, Boston, MA, and Seattle, WA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Burlington, VT | $82,779 | $39.80 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $81,808 | $39.33 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $81,477 | $39.17 |
| 4 | Bridgeport, CT | $78,599 | $37.79 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $77,423 | $37.22 |
| 6 | Charleston, WV | $77,018 | $37.03 |
| 7 | Birmingham, AL | $74,799 | $35.96 |
| 8 | Las Vegas, NV | $74,679 | $35.90 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $73,278 | $35.23 |
| 10 | San Francisco, CA | $73,104 | $35.15 |
| 11 | Savannah, GA | $72,935 | $35.06 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $72,781 | $34.99 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $72,571 | $34.89 |
| 14 | New York, NY | $72,237 | $34.73 |
| 15 | Philadelphia, PA | $72,127 | $34.68 |
| 16 | Portland, OR | $71,896 | $34.57 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $71,784 | $34.51 |
| 18 | Alexandria, VA | $71,620 | $34.43 |
| 19 | Columbus, OH | $70,505 | $33.90 |
| 20 | Raleigh, NC | $69,917 | $33.61 |
Media buyer salary details
A media buyer's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $98,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a media buyer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $98,000 | $8,167 | $47 |
| 75th Percentile | $86,000 | $7,167 | $41 |
| Average | $74,390 | $6,199 | $36 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying media buyer jobs
The highest paying types of media buyers are landman, senior buyer, and senior purchasing agent.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purchasing Agent | $51,950 | $4,329 | $24.98 | 45,856 |
| Procurement Agent | $72,384 | $6,032 | $34.80 | 45,198 |
| Landman | $82,853 | $6,904 | $39.83 | 364 |
| Subcontract Administrator | $65,686 | $5,474 | $31.58 | 51,285 |
| Contracts Administrator | $52,876 | $4,406 | $25.42 | 58,038 |
| Purchaser | $50,031 | $4,169 | $24.05 | 6,852 |
Top companies hiring media buyers now:
Which companies pay media buyers the most?
Media buyer salaries at Bloomberg and Yahoo are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average media buyer salary at companies like Upwork and Amazon are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomberg | $102,997 | $49.52 |
| 2 | Yahoo | $94,004 | $45.19 |
| 3 | Upwork | $83,275 | $40.04 |
| 4 | Amazon | $82,961 | $39.89 |
| 5 | Brill Media Holdings | $82,436 | $39.63 |
| 6 | ICF | $79,875 | $38.40 |
| 7 | Townsquare Interactive | $79,501 | $38.22 |
| 8 | Wintrust Financial | $79,263 | $38.11 |
| 9 | AmeriHealth Caritas | $79,164 | $38.06 |
| 10 | Sonobi | $77,896 | $37.45 |
| 11 | CMP | $77,730 | $37.37 |
| 12 | Spark Foundry | $77,410 | $37.22 |
| 13 | The Motley Fool | $77,079 | $37.06 |
| 14 | Connors Group | $76,660 | $36.86 |
| 15 | J.B. Hunt Transport Services | $75,101 | $36.11 |
| 16 | Trilia Media | $75,070 | $36.09 |
| 17 | Zeta Global | $74,582 | $35.86 |
| 18 | Red-Spark.com | $74,098 | $35.62 |
| 19 | Fisher Investments | $73,997 | $35.58 |
| 20 | Serta Simmons Bedding | $73,534 | $35.35 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Media buyer salary trends
The average media buyer salary has risen by $12,585 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average media buyer earned $61,805 annually, but today, they earn $74,390 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for media buyers over the last decade.
Compare media buyer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average media buyer salary over time
Compare media buyer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Media buyer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $74,400 | $35.76 | +3.8% |
| 2025 | $71,600 | $34.40 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $69,900 | $33.60 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $69,100 | $33.23 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $67,900 | $32.67 | +1.7% |
Recently added media buyer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crossmedia | Media Buyer, Integrated Media Investment | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $62,000 |
| Within | Digital Media Buyer 2026 Q2 (April 20Th) | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $65,000 |
| Get It-Marketing | Media Buyer-Remote | Hanover, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $59,700 |
| Get It-Marketing | Media Buyer-Remote | Newport Beach, CA | 06/29/2025 | $60,000 |
| Impact Scale | Facebook/Tiktok Media Buyer | Vancouver, WA | 06/27/2025 | $120,000 |
| WTW External | CTV Media Buyer | Fort Lee, NJ | 06/27/2025 | $65,000 |
| ICF International, Inc. | Digital Media Buyer | Newark, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $55,388 |
| WTW | CTV Media Buyer | Fort Lee, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
| Willis Towers Watson | CTV Media Buyer | Miami, FL | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
| WTW | CTV Media Buyer | Raleigh, NC | 06/26/2025 | $65,000 |
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