U.S. Marketing Jobs Report

The last few months have made one thing clear: having a legible map matters more than ever when the macro gets messy. That’s why this quarter’s Jobs Report arrives with focus on clarity.

As shared onstage last month at Business of Brands in Chicago, the real story is the anxiety underneath the numbers…with even the head of the BLS out of a job and rumors swirling about how economic data must now fit the ruling narrative (or else). Strange times, indeed. Our job market data stands as a guide through this uncertainty, not a partisan signal. You deserve an honest ‘lay of the land.’

That is exactly why we do this work: to separate signal from noise and help you decide which action(s) to take next. Whether it’s doubling down on your current role, picking a new direction in terms of marketing skillset or discipline, or even choosing a new city or state to live in.

The Big Picture: Re-pricing, Not Freefall

If you feel the job market weather is generally lousy, you’re not wrong. Q3 cooled again. While the drop was smaller than the prior quarter, and the late September data hints at a floor, the reality on the ground is that cycles are markedly longer, competition is heavier, and young entrants to the marketing profession are having it even harder than seniors.

We must treat this as a re-pricing, not a freefall. This is not an industry collapse; it’s a market recalibration where value is re-assigned. Experienced operators who bring receipts (proof of results) and deep category and industry knowledge who are doers, are still getting hired. CMOs are still recruited (or occasionally promoted) to be on the hook for turnarounds and demand creation. Marketing still matters. Phew!

The Slowdown: A Real Buyer’s Market

It’s not just fewer jobs; it’s slower motion. The market is quieter, slower, and as I shared on a recent Ad Age podcast - the reality of the ‘buyer’s market’ is real. Companies are taking their sweet time, with abundant options to choose from.

On average, job listings now linger for 41 days, up from 28 at the beginning of the year. That stretch suggests decision-making is dragging, and teams are hesitating to commit. Talented people we meet with each week share stories of drawn out, multi-step procedures.

Senior Roles Show Resilience; The Kids Aren’t Alright

That said, senior marketing roles are holding up. Doers - hands-on-keys practitioners who can lead - are still in demand.

But the kids aren’t alright. Entry-level roles swung sharply, peaking mid-March with 12,436 jobs, then falling to roughly 9,700 from early July to early September. The silver lining? The contraction appears to be easing; mid-September showed some early signs of stabilization and maybe even mild recovery.

Would I still recommend that my niece or nephew consider a career or an education in marketing? Absolutely. My bet is that the lull in junior hiring has been more about cost-cutting and macro worry than AI and automation. I have no evidence, anecdotal or otherwise, that the lull in job volume for junior marketing talent has anything to do with AI. I reckon its business confidence in short supply.

The Silver Linings: Compensation and Discipline Shifts

There is one clear positive: transparency in compensation is improving. In the US, around 53% of marketing job listings now include salary info. Even in conservative states with no legislation, like Alabama, one-third of marketing listings now come with paycheck data.

And speaking of money, it’s moving along for marketers, the median salary across marketing roles at quarter end (as of September 29, 2025) sits at $85,946, up 4.6% year over year.

Shifting Demand

Across disciplines, demand is still close to revenu. Growth Marketing and Product Marketing saw notable gains in job volume, while PR and Communications roles shrank by 17.5% year over year. As for pay, Product Marketing still commands premium dollars, with Partner & Channel, Growth, and Analytical Marketing close behind.

On the geographic front, Washington slipped out of the top 10 hiring states after a steep year-over-year drop of 14.4%. Among cities, Seattle fell from No. 7 to No. 10, we believe, likely tied to Amazon’s pullback in marketing hiring.

Conclusion

In short: The market is slower, hiring is more deliberate, but the upper tiers are showing resilience, and certain disciplines and locations are adjusting more gracefully than others.

Access the full report for an in-depth look at where to direct your focus, featuring comprehensive discipline and geographic ranking data.

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