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The average salary for a SEM Specialist currently stands at $61,808 per year, which translates to approximately $30 per hour. This amount varies based on several factors including state, experience, and specific industry. For instance, entry-level specialists can expect to earn less while those with more experience may see salaries rise significantly.
In general, experience plays a crucial role in determining salary. Entry-level positions typically start lower, while mid and senior-level roles command higher pay rates. Those who have specialized skills in data analysis or advanced marketing strategies tend to earn more, making continuous learning and upskilling essential in this field.
The salary for SEM Specialists varies widely across the United States. States like California, New York, and Texas often offer higher salaries due to demand for digital marketing expertise. Exploring opportunities in these locations can yield better financial rewards.
As businesses increasingly shift focus toward online marketing, the demand for SEM Specialists is expected to grow. This field not only offers competitive salaries but also a range of job opportunities across various industries, making it a promising career choice.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level sem specialist | $38,800 | $18.65 |
| Mid-level sem specialist | $65,500 | $31.49 |
| Senior-level sem specialist | $107,000 | $51.57 |
The average sem specialist salary in New Jersey, Washington, and Delaware are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average sem specialist salary states are Missouri, Nebraska, and Florida.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $75,116 | $36.11 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $87,530 | $42.08 |
| 3 | District of Columbia | $82,358 | $39.60 |
| 4 | Washington | $84,708 | $40.73 |
| 5 | Illinois | $68,640 | $33.00 |
| 6 | Montana | $63,471 | $30.51 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $64,643 | $31.08 |
| 8 | California | $69,807 | $33.56 |
| 9 | Virginia | $69,023 | $33.18 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $58,778 | $28.26 |
| 11 | New York | $65,650 | $31.56 |
| 12 | Oregon | $64,255 | $30.89 |
| 13 | Texas | $66,402 | $31.92 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $63,262 | $30.41 |
| 15 | Maryland | $69,337 | $33.34 |
| 16 | Idaho | $63,790 | $30.67 |
| 17 | Georgia | $63,611 | $30.58 |
| 18 | Arkansas | $57,871 | $27.82 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $66,090 | $31.77 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $59,090 | $28.41 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $59,612 | $28.66 |
| 22 | Colorado | $66,375 | $31.91 |
| 23 | Nevada | $62,075 | $29.84 |
| 24 | Utah | $56,452 | $27.14 |
| 25 | New Hampshire | $59,231 | $28.48 |
| 26 | Alaska | $63,090 | $30.33 |
| 27 | Wyoming | $55,028 | $26.46 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $55,550 | $26.71 |
| 29 | Maine | $55,772 | $26.81 |
| 30 | Michigan | $56,407 | $27.12 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $57,684 | $27.73 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $55,553 | $26.71 |
| 33 | Connecticut | $60,118 | $28.90 |
| 34 | Arizona | $56,614 | $27.22 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $54,048 | $25.98 |
| 36 | Iowa | $53,929 | $25.93 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $55,195 | $26.54 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $56,341 | $27.09 |
| 39 | Ohio | $53,713 | $25.82 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $53,228 | $25.59 |
| 41 | Kansas | $49,026 | $23.57 |
| 42 | Vermont | $40,904 | $19.67 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $51,836 | $24.92 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $48,601 | $23.37 |
| 45 | North Dakota | $47,750 | $22.96 |
| 46 | Indiana | $51,130 | $24.58 |
| 47 | Alabama | $51,322 | $24.67 |
| 48 | Florida | $47,857 | $23.01 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $50,230 | $24.15 |
| 50 | Missouri | $48,895 | $23.51 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $43,082 | $20.71 |
The highest-paying cities for sem specialists are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $84,914 | $40.82 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $73,304 | $35.24 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $68,911 | $33.13 |
| 4 | Austin, TX | $66,610 | $32.02 |
| 5 | Denver, CO | $66,309 | $31.88 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $65,737 | $31.60 |
| 7 | Brockton, MA | $64,905 | $31.20 |
| 8 | Saint Paul, MN | $63,290 | $30.43 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $61,697 | $29.66 |
| 10 | Salisbury, NC | $59,285 | $28.50 |
| 11 | Boca Raton, FL | $47,525 | $22.85 |
A sem specialist's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $81,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $81,000 | $6,750 | $39 |
| 75th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
| Average | $61,808 | $5,151 | $30 |
| 25th Percentile | $53,000 | $4,417 | $25 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
The highest paying types of sem specialists are engineering specialist, product specialist, and product specialist/sales specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research Internship | $39,573 | $3,298 | $19.03 | 95,123 |
| Marketing Internship | $30,260 | $2,522 | $14.55 | 122,135 |
| Marketing Department Internship | $31,989 | $2,666 | $15.38 | 143,703 |
| Sales And Marketing Internship | $42,269 | $3,522 | $20.32 | 142,820 |
| Marketing Consultant | $70,593 | $5,883 | $33.94 | 88,935 |
| Marketing Representative | $47,377 | $3,948 | $22.78 | 217,886 |
Top companies hiring sem specialists now:
Sem specialist salaries at Expedia Group and InfosysPublicService are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average sem specialist salary at companies like W.B. Mason and Hotel Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Expedia Group | $75,973 | $36.53 |
| 2 | Infosys Public Service | $70,405 | $33.85 |
| 3 | W.B. Mason | $69,702 | $33.51 |
| 4 | Hotel Services | $67,315 | $32.36 |
| 5 | Fareportal | $64,692 | $31.10 |
| 6 | Beasley Media Group | $63,423 | $30.49 |
| 7 | CORE Business Technologies | $63,125 | $30.35 |
| 8 | Hannaford Supermarkets | $60,403 | $29.04 |
| 9 | Murray | $58,657 | $28.20 |
| 10 | SK Hynix | $57,823 | $27.80 |
| 11 | Cypress HCM | $57,683 | $27.73 |
| 12 | Randstad North America, Inc. | $56,800 | $27.31 |
| 13 | MediaNews Group | $56,221 | $27.03 |
| 14 | Robert Half | $54,995 | $26.44 |
| 15 | ConsumerTrack | $54,405 | $26.16 |
| 16 | One Planet Group | $52,403 | $25.19 |
The average sem specialist salary has risen by $5,222 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average sem specialist earned $56,586 annually, but today, they earn $61,808 a year. That works out to a 5% change in pay for sem specialists over the last decade.
Compare sem specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare sem specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $61,800 | $29.72 | +3.1% |
| 2024 | $59,900 | $28.80 | +1.1% |
| 2023 | $59,300 | $28.50 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $59,400 | $28.55 | +1.1% |
| 2021 | $58,800 | $28.25 | +0.7% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mjh Life Sciences, LLC | Seo/Sem Specialist | Cranbury, NJ | 06/29/2025 | $50,000 |
| Fox | Seo/Sem Specialist | New York, NY | 06/05/2025 | $60,000 |
| AAA Northeast | SEM Specialist | Providence, RI | 05/20/2025 | $71,900 |
| AAA Northeast | SEM Specialist-(Hybrid) | Garden City, NY | 05/20/2025 | $79,100 |
| Blue Nile | SEM Specialist | New York, NY | 05/10/2025 | $66,000 |
| James Allen | SEM Specialist | New York, NY | 05/10/2025 | $66,000 |
| Accelerated Digital Media | SEM Specialist | Chicago, IL | 05/03/2025 | $60,000 |
| Reddog | Senior SEM Specialist | Henderson, NV | 03/31/2025 | $90,000 |
| Faire Consultants | Paid SEM (Contracted Outside Consultant) | San Francisco, CA | 03/24/2025 | $83,480 |
| Reddog | Senior SEM Specialist | Henderson, NV | 02/28/2025 | $90,000 |
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