Post job

Social media associate salary

Quoted expert
Michael Riecke

Average social media associate salary

$50,661

$24.36 hourly rate

Entry-level social media associate salary
$37,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Understanding the Salary of a Social Media Associate

The average salary for a Social Media Associate is approximately $50,661 per year. This figure, however, can fluctuate based on factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry. For example, Social Media Associates in states like California and New York often see higher salaries due to the demand for skilled professionals in these markets.

Additionally, industries such as advertising and marketing typically offer better compensation packages, reflecting the importance of social media in their business strategies. As businesses increasingly recognize the value of an online presence, the role of Social Media Associates is evolving, leading to enhanced job security and growth potential.

Salary by State

Understanding the salary landscape at a state level can provide insights for job seekers. States with the highest average salaries include:

  • California
  • New York
  • Texas
  • Florida

By focusing on these lucrative locations, aspiring Social Media Associates can strategically plan their career paths to maximize earning potential. Overall, the future for this role looks promising as more organizations invest in their social media strategies.

On this page
Social media associate salary by: 

Let Zippia find your next social media associate job

Floating question marks illustration

Let Zippia find your next social media associate job

Floating question marks illustration

Where can a Social Media Associate earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
92k
72k
52k
32k
12k
Columbus, OH$68,194
Birmingham, AL$41,627
Compare salary by company
Vs
122k
102k
82k
62k
42k
22k
Eli Lilly and Company$95,822
Darden Restaurants$51,656

Social media associate salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Salary.com, Glassdoor, Comparably and Payscale, the average salary for a social media associate typically falls between $41,600 and $54,405.
zippia
$50,661yearly
glassdoor[1]
$53,150yearly
comparably[2]
$41,600yearly
Salary.com[3]
$54,405yearly
payscale[4]
$49,477yearly

Average social media associate salary by state

The average social media associate salary in Washington, California, and Colorado are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average social media associate salary states are South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Mississippi.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for social media associates

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1District of Columbia$68,095$32.74
2Washington$62,824$30.20
3Connecticut$56,304$27.07
4California$58,098$27.93
5Colorado$57,477$27.63
6Oregon$54,383$26.15
7New Jersey$56,019$26.93
8Arizona$54,190$26.05
9New York$52,021$25.01
10Alaska$51,324$24.68
11Arkansas$51,439$24.73
12North Carolina$53,661$25.80
13Hawaii$54,492$26.20
14Ohio$54,911$26.40
15Massachusetts$51,228$24.63
16Illinois$51,758$24.88
17Pennsylvania$53,060$25.51
18Rhode Island$48,635$23.38
19Delaware$48,239$23.19
20New Mexico$49,024$23.57
21North Dakota$46,247$22.23
22Idaho$45,974$22.10
23West Virginia$47,327$22.75
24Maryland$51,473$24.75
25Wyoming$43,305$20.82
26Nevada$46,352$22.28
27Kentucky$46,573$22.39
28Virginia$51,273$24.65
29Michigan$43,686$21.00
30Tennessee$45,850$22.04
31Louisiana$44,250$21.27
32Nebraska$43,267$20.80
33New Hampshire$42,347$20.36
34South Dakota$40,474$19.46
35Utah$40,911$19.67
36Texas$43,782$21.05
37Indiana$42,607$20.48
38Georgia$43,138$20.74
39Oklahoma$41,214$19.81
40Vermont$36,228$17.42
41Iowa$40,675$19.56
42Alabama$41,866$20.13
43Montana$37,118$17.85
44Maine$30,476$14.65
45Missouri$41,018$19.72
46Florida$39,369$18.93
47Mississippi$38,177$18.35
48Kansas$39,189$18.84
49Minnesota$39,158$18.83
50South Carolina$38,748$18.63
51Wisconsin$38,611$18.56

Highest paying cities for social media associates

The highest-paying cities for social media associates are Washington, DC, San Francisco, CA, and Spokane Valley, WA.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Washington, DC$68,194$32.79
2San Francisco, CA$60,838$29.25
3Spokane Valley, WA$59,436$28.57
4Stamford, CT$57,411$27.60
5Denver, CO$57,408$27.60
6Jersey City, NJ$55,783$26.82
7Cleveland, OH$55,482$26.67
8Raleigh, NC$54,372$26.14
9Portland, OR$53,857$25.89
10Philadelphia, PA$53,491$25.72
11New York, NY$52,446$25.21
12Plymouth, MA$52,326$25.16
13Evanston, IL$51,936$24.97
14Baltimore, MD$51,625$24.82
15Fayetteville, AR$51,289$24.66
16Austin, TX$44,004$21.16
17Detroit, MI$43,871$21.09
18Atlanta, GA$43,058$20.70
19Indianapolis, IN$42,510$20.44
20Birmingham, AL$41,627$20.01

Social media associate salary details

A social media associate's salary ranges from $37,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $68,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average social media associate salary graph
Average social media associate salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a social media associate's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$68,000$5,667$33
75th Percentile$59,000$4,917$28
Average$50,661$4,222$24
25th Percentile$43,000$3,583$21
10th Percentile$37,000$3,083$18

Highest paying social media associate jobs

The highest paying types of social media associates are social media manager, social media strategist, and media planner.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Campaign Coordinator$41,865$3,489$20.1324,801
Public Relations Coordinator$46,225$3,852$22.2235,324
Publications Coordinator$48,593$4,049$23.3627,541
Communications Coordinator$47,075$3,923$22.6339,790
Media Planner$58,044$4,837$27.9124,126
Media Consultant$53,443$4,454$25.6928,768

How would you rate the starting salaries for social media associates, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?

Michael Riecke

Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Oswego

Starting salaries in the field of media and communication are generally lower than most entry-level professional positions. It's partially a matter of supply and demand. I think young professionals perceive media and communication careers as more glamorous and exciting than other paths. As a result, employers often find themselves with plenty of resumes to sift through. As you advance through your career, you can expect moderate to substantial salary growth.

They may not openly admit it, but many employers see the first job as a test of who has the stamina, talent, and passion for succeeding. If a new employee puts in the effort, doesn't balk at long hours, and gets the job done well without a sizeable financial reward, it's generally interpreted by the employer as a sign of commitment. That display of commitment typically gets rewarded.

Top companies hiring social media associates now:

  1. QuinStreet jobs (2)
  2. ESPN jobs (4)
  3. Lyft jobs (2)
  4. Capital One jobs (2)
  5. World Education Services jobs (3)

Which companies pay social media associates the most?

Social media associate salaries at Eli Lilly and Company and Earthjustice are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average social media associate salary at companies like ZS and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Eli Lilly and Company$95,822$46.07
2Earthjustice$82,589$39.71
3ZS$80,588$38.74
4JPMorgan Chase & Co.$79,363$38.16
5Keller Williams Capital Properties$78,504$37.74
6Wpp Us Holdings Inc$76,837$36.94
7BlackRock$70,936$34.10
8Accenture$65,061$31.28
9Pwc$59,289$28.50
10Prudential Bank$58,965$28.35
11Conair$58,339$28.05
12Activision Blizzard$56,720$27.27
13New York City Economic Development$56,545$27.19
14HealthTrust$54,882$26.39
15Havas Edge$53,023$25.49
16GroupM$52,608$25.29
17World Education Services$52,428$25.21
18Golin$52,367$25.18
19ICONMA$51,927$24.96
20Darden Restaurants$51,656$24.83

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$51,000$50,400$49,800$49,200$48,600$48,000
MaleFemale

Social Media Associate salary by industry

The average social media associate salary varies across industries:

  • The average social media associate salary in the media industry is $50,342, the highest of any industry.
  • The average social media associate salary in the finance industry is $49,576.
  • Social media associates in the professional industry earn an average salary of $45,738, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for social media associates

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Media$50,342$24.20
2Education$49,576$23.83
3Health Care$48,681$23.40
4Retail$46,713$22.46
5Start-up$45,953$22.09
6Professional$45,738$21.99

High paying social media associate jobs

Social media associate salary trends

The average social media associate salary has risen by $7,760 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average social media associate earned $42,901 annually, but today, they earn $50,661 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for social media associates over the last decade.

Compare social media associate salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average social media associate salary over time

Compare social media associate salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Social media associate salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$50,700$24.36+2.6%
2025$49,300$23.71+1.9%
2024$48,400$23.27+1.2%
2023$47,800$22.99+2.2%
2022$46,800$22.50+2.2%

Recently added social media associate salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
BrexSenior Social Media AssociateSalt Lake City, UT06/29/2025$74,640
BrexSenior Social Media AssociateSan Francisco, CA06/29/2025$84,343
Impact GenomeSocial Impact AssociateChicago, IL06/20/2025$70,000
Orangetheory FitnessSocial Media and Marketing AssociateRochester, MN06/16/2025$25,044
Scheels SportsSocial Media AssociateLincoln, NE06/15/2025$39,653
Share Community Development Corp Scdc HoustonSocial Media Community Engager (Pinterest)Houston, TX06/11/2025$52,175
Harbinger Motors Inc.Marketing & Social Media AssociateGarden Grove, CA06/09/2025$80,000
Paramount GlobalFreelance Social Media Associate Producer, Inside EditionNew York, NY06/06/2025$65,000
CPI AerostructuresSocial Media Associate Position)Fine, NY05/30/2025$38,000
RoenSocial Media & Brand Marketing AssociateNew York, NY05/29/2025$41,740

Social media associate salary FAQs

Search for social media associate jobs

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs