How much does an ad manager make?
a year · about $64 an hour
A typical ad manager in the United States makes $133,660 a year, about $64 an hour, about 2.6× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They meet with clients and coworkers to plan an ad, choose where it will appear, and set a budget. Then they check the words and pictures, guide the team making the ad, and see how well the campaign worked.
Did you know? Promotions managers can mix ads with discounts, rebates, contests, or event displays to encourage people to buy—so a promotion is more than a commercial.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $63,300 and $286,240How do you become one?
In the U.S., earn a bachelor's degree in marketing, business, communications, or a related field, then gain experience in advertising, marketing, promotions, or sales. Some employers prefer a master's degree.
School needed: Usually a bachelor's degree
Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with related experience, location, and the industry or employer; BLS reports differences across industries and provides state-and-area wage data. Most work full time, and some work over 40 hours a week, but longer hours do not necessarily mean higher pay.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New York ($173,700), lowest in Alabama ($64,640).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $63,300 | $133,660 | $286,240 | about 21,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $173,700 | about 4,000 |
| Illinois | $167,330 | about 160 |
| California | $167,230 | about 3,000 |
| New Jersey | $165,390 | about 470 |
| Colorado | $164,990 | about 180 |
Official definition: Plan, direct, or coordinate advertising policies and programs or produce collateral materials, such as posters, contests, coupons, or giveaways, to create extra interest in the purchase of a product or service for a department, an entire organization, or on an account basis.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/management/advertising-promotions-and-marketing-managers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/details/11-2011.00
- www.onetonline.org/link/localwages/11-2011.00
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY