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Search strategist salary
Average search strategist salary
$82,098
Understanding Search Strategist Salaries
A Search Strategist plays a crucial role in enhancing a company’s online presence. The average salary stands at $82,098 annually, translating to around $39 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors such as location, industry, and experience level. For instance, states like California and New York typically offer higher compensation due to the cost of living and demand for digital marketing skills.
Salary by State
In states such as Texas and Florida, salaries are competitive, but not as high as in major metropolitan areas. For job seekers, researching salary trends can provide insights into potential earnings. Understanding which cities offer the highest pay can also guide relocation decisions. Cities like San Francisco and New York are known for their lucrative job markets in digital marketing.
Career Advancement
As the demand for skilled search strategists grows, opportunities for career advancement also increase. Pursuing certifications or specialized training can further enhance earning potential. With the rise of digital marketing, now is a promising time to enter this field.
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Where can a Search Strategist earn more?
Average search strategist salary by state
The average search strategist salary in California, Washington, and Nevada are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average search strategist salary states are Maine, Oklahoma, and Vermont.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for search strategists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $92,234 | $44.34 |
| 2 | California | $100,126 | $48.14 |
| 3 | Washington | $95,061 | $45.70 |
| 4 | Utah | $81,887 | $39.37 |
| 5 | Arizona | $91,682 | $44.08 |
| 6 | Oregon | $82,311 | $39.57 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $80,458 | $38.68 |
| 8 | New Jersey | $85,428 | $41.07 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $86,003 | $41.35 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $81,149 | $39.01 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $78,031 | $37.51 |
| 12 | New York | $81,020 | $38.95 |
| 13 | Idaho | $80,172 | $38.54 |
| 14 | Virginia | $79,596 | $38.27 |
| 15 | Texas | $76,506 | $36.78 |
| 16 | District of Columbia | $79,167 | $38.06 |
| 17 | Alabama | $81,379 | $39.12 |
| 18 | Delaware | $80,269 | $38.59 |
| 19 | Arkansas | $76,438 | $36.75 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $79,340 | $38.14 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $73,686 | $35.43 |
| 22 | Kansas | $75,240 | $36.17 |
| 23 | Michigan | $71,425 | $34.34 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $72,536 | $34.87 |
| 25 | Maryland | $77,001 | $37.02 |
| 26 | Iowa | $72,577 | $34.89 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $72,263 | $34.74 |
| 28 | Ohio | $70,992 | $34.13 |
| 29 | Colorado | $72,838 | $35.02 |
| 30 | Tennessee | $70,192 | $33.75 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $69,353 | $33.34 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $69,037 | $33.19 |
| 33 | Illinois | $66,046 | $31.75 |
| 34 | Montana | $67,158 | $32.29 |
| 35 | Louisiana | $72,795 | $35.00 |
| 36 | Mississippi | $71,771 | $34.51 |
| 37 | Indiana | $69,509 | $33.42 |
| 38 | Alaska | $71,178 | $34.22 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $68,830 | $33.09 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $65,571 | $31.52 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $69,843 | $33.58 |
| 42 | Wisconsin | $67,274 | $32.34 |
| 43 | Hawaii | $67,537 | $32.47 |
| 44 | Florida | $67,088 | $32.25 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $61,626 | $29.63 |
| 46 | Vermont | $61,837 | $29.73 |
| 47 | Georgia | $61,074 | $29.36 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $66,365 | $31.91 |
| 49 | Missouri | $61,432 | $29.53 |
| 50 | Maine | $64,109 | $30.82 |
| 51 | Oklahoma | $62,103 | $29.86 |
Highest paying cities for search strategists
The highest-paying cities for search strategists are San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA, and Phoenix, AZ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $106,091 | $51.01 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $95,852 | $46.08 |
| 3 | Phoenix, AZ | $92,182 | $44.32 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $85,374 | $41.05 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $81,683 | $39.27 |
| 6 | Midvale, UT | $81,667 | $39.26 |
| 7 | Bristol, PA | $81,635 | $39.25 |
| 8 | Newton, MA | $80,974 | $38.93 |
| 9 | Portland, OR | $80,958 | $38.92 |
| 10 | Richmond, VA | $79,458 | $38.20 |
| 11 | Washington, DC | $79,153 | $38.05 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $77,828 | $37.42 |
| 13 | Baltimore, MD | $77,263 | $37.15 |
| 14 | Austin, TX | $76,974 | $37.01 |
| 15 | Rogers, AR | $76,159 | $36.61 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $74,819 | $35.97 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $72,928 | $35.06 |
| 18 | Englewood, CO | $72,889 | $35.04 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $72,262 | $34.74 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $70,039 | $33.67 |
Search strategist salary details
A search strategist's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $118,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a search strategist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $118,000 | $9,833 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $82,098 | $6,842 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying search strategist jobs
The highest paying types of search strategists are director, search marketing strategies, search engine evaluator, and strategist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online Marketing Manager | $96,212 | $8,018 | $46.26 | 111,303 |
| Search Engine Evaluator | $106,930 | $8,911 | $51.41 | 3,385 |
| Search Engine Optimizer | $99,672 | $8,306 | $47.92 | 3,599 |
| Social Media Strategist | $62,339 | $5,195 | $29.97 | 43,791 |
| Marketing Strategist | $80,033 | $6,669 | $38.48 | 89,543 |
| Strategist | $104,881 | $8,740 | $50.42 | 44,596 |
Top companies hiring search strategists now:
Which companies pay search strategists the most?
Search strategist salaries at Google and Microsoft are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average search strategist salary at companies like Atlassian and Scribd are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $134,513 | $64.67 | |
| 2 | Microsoft | $129,237 | $62.13 |
| 3 | Atlassian | $126,980 | $61.05 |
| 4 | Scribd | $122,000 | $58.65 |
| 5 | SideCars | $116,234 | $55.88 |
| 6 | Tripadvisor | $113,883 | $54.75 |
| 7 | Vista Equity Partners | $112,040 | $53.87 |
| 8 | Amazon | $111,575 | $53.64 |
| 9 | AKQA | $92,382 | $44.41 |
| 10 | Procore Technologies | $92,211 | $44.33 |
| 11 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $91,460 | $43.97 |
| 12 | General Mills | $90,866 | $43.69 |
| 13 | Tours4Fun | $86,557 | $41.61 |
| 14 | Oriental Trading | $84,373 | $40.56 |
| 15 | BrightEdge | $83,171 | $39.99 |
| 16 | CyberCoders | $81,825 | $39.34 |
| 17 | KBS+ (Kirshenbaum Bond Senecal + Partners) | $78,515 | $37.75 |
| 18 | AAA FACILITY SERVICES | $76,338 | $36.70 |
| 19 | KBS | $74,208 | $35.68 |
| 20 | ICF | $73,652 | $35.41 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Search Strategist salary by industry
The average search strategist salary varies across industries:
- The average search strategist salary in the health care industry is $93,615, the highest of any industry.
- The average search strategist salary in the finance industry is $74,376.
- Search strategists in the media industry earn an average salary of $64,386, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for search strategists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $93,615 | $45.01 |
| 2 | Professional | $74,376 | $35.76 |
| 3 | Internet | $71,971 | $34.60 |
| 4 | Media | $64,386 | $30.95 |
High paying search strategist jobs
Search strategist salary trends
The average search strategist salary has risen by $13,439 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average search strategist earned $68,659 annually, but today, they earn $82,098 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for search strategists over the last decade.
Compare search strategist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average search strategist salary over time
Compare search strategist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Search strategist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $82,100 | $39.47 | +3.3% |
| 2025 | $79,400 | $38.17 | +2.3% |
| 2024 | $77,600 | $37.31 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $76,100 | $36.58 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | $74,400 | $35.75 | +1.5% |
Recently added search strategist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sosemo LLC | Senior SEO Strategist | Fine, NY | 06/29/2025 | $72,500 |
| Digital Marketing Services | SEO Strategist | San Diego, CA | 06/26/2025 | $88,000 |
| Manpowergroup | SEO Strategist (Remote) | New York, NY | 06/24/2025 | $93,915 |
| Cedars Sinai | Paid Search Strategist | Los Angeles, CA | 06/22/2025 | $112,674 |
| Sinclair Broadcast Group | Senior Paid Search Strategist | Maryland | 06/19/2025 | $68,060 |
| Publicis Groupe | SEO Strategist, Content | New York, NY | 06/18/2025 | $59,850 |
| Willowtree | Product SEO Strategist | Durham, NC | 06/09/2025 | $80,000 |
| Socium Media | Paid Search Strategist | New York, NY | 05/28/2025 | $60,000 |
| Sinclair Broadcast Group | Senior Paid Search Strategist | Maryland | 05/26/2025 | $68,060 |
| Sosemo LLC | Senior SEO Strategist | Fine, NY | 05/26/2025 | $72,500 |
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