Last updated 2 October 2026
How much does a social media manager make in 2026?
In the US, the median employed social media manager earns $74,750 a year, or $35.94 an hour (read from the nearest official group, Public Relations Specialists) (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $56,260 to $100,370.
Upwork puts freelance social media managers at $14 to $35 an hour, median $20, worldwide (Upwork, checked October 2026).
Work out what you should charge →
What do social media managers earn in the US?
Nearest official group: Public Relations Specialists (SOC 27-3031). No US occupation is called social media manager. This is Public Relations Specialists, one of the groups O*NET lists first for the title; Marketing Specialists (13-1161) is the other, shown below. A year (BLS, May 2025):
An hour: median $35.94, middle half $27.05 to $48.25, top tenth from $64.98. About 283,380 employees.
Counting the self-employed, BLS puts the occupation at 314,500 in 2025, 1.1% of them self-employed, and projects 1.8% change by 2035 (BLS projections 2025–35).
The other group the role falls in, Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists (SOC 13-1161): median $78,760 a year, middle half $58,350 to $108,310 (BLS, May 2025).
By state
| State | Median a year | Middle half | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $102,740 | $78,200–$149,120 | 16,720 |
| Washington | $87,470 | $71,140–$111,890 | 6,430 |
| California | $85,030 | $64,460–$121,180 | 32,710 |
| Connecticut | $84,990 | $62,160–$122,400 | 1,910 |
| New York | $81,250 | $63,420–$107,920 | 28,250 |
| Colorado | $80,680 | $64,090–$105,190 | 7,410 |
| Virginia | $80,380 | $60,610–$111,600 | 9,990 |
| New Jersey | $80,130 | $58,410–$105,030 | 4,980 |
| Massachusetts | $79,660 | $61,410–$107,220 | 6,760 |
| Maryland | $79,560 | $58,600–$108,160 | 4,190 |
| Rhode Island | $77,540 | $63,310–$102,280 | 1,140 |
| Illinois | $76,380 | $59,400–$102,950 | 6,200 |
| Delaware | $76,120 | $59,870–$94,320 | 930 |
| Oregon | $74,900 | $55,970–$100,330 | 4,510 |
| Nevada | $73,840 | $53,450–$93,120 | 1,600 |
| New Hampshire | $73,280 | $59,000–$96,100 | 1,140 |
| Georgia | $73,200 | $56,150–$98,060 | 6,860 |
| North Dakota | $70,280 | $57,240–$85,980 | 640 |
| Alaska | $70,050 | $61,680–$91,920 | 640 |
| New Mexico | $68,700 | $53,540–$89,670 | 1,130 |
| Minnesota | $68,620 | $54,880–$89,500 | 8,260 |
| Wyoming | $67,490 | $60,160–$80,980 | 480 |
| Wisconsin | $67,240 | $56,830–$83,430 | 4,410 |
| North Carolina | $67,230 | $51,530–$89,990 | 9,910 |
| Arizona | $66,710 | $52,580–$85,950 | 5,350 |
| Vermont | $66,060 | $54,080–$80,880 | 1,260 |
| Michigan | $65,300 | $50,160–$86,770 | 7,510 |
| Texas | $65,160 | $50,480–$85,370 | 25,220 |
| Arkansas | $65,000 | $49,980–$96,060 | 980 |
| Oklahoma | $64,920 | $49,730–$88,610 | 2,280 |
| Indiana | $64,900 | $51,700–$83,480 | 3,750 |
| Kansas | $64,860 | $50,540–$83,430 | 2,340 |
| Ohio | $64,840 | $50,040–$85,890 | 6,670 |
| South Dakota | $64,520 | $55,990–$83,480 | 210 |
| Hawaii | $63,880 | $50,640–$81,900 | 1,800 |
| Montana | $63,780 | $50,470–$75,820 | 1,760 |
| Florida | $63,660 | $48,340–$83,190 | 17,820 |
| Iowa | $62,970 | $49,040–$81,450 | 2,890 |
| South Carolina | $62,730 | $49,150–$92,560 | 2,950 |
| Utah | $62,670 | $49,920–$89,190 | 1,800 |
| Maine | $62,450 | $48,130–$79,940 | 1,400 |
| Nebraska | $61,780 | $50,250–$78,870 | 1,590 |
| Alabama | $61,710 | $48,130–$82,360 | 2,410 |
| Missouri | $61,130 | $47,700–$78,220 | 4,820 |
| Idaho | $61,110 | $45,400–$84,070 | 1,220 |
| Tennessee | $60,900 | $47,320–$79,210 | 3,380 |
| Louisiana | $60,470 | $49,490–$77,890 | 1,710 |
| Kentucky | $60,150 | $47,920–$77,670 | 2,580 |
| Virgin Islands | $59,990 | $44,990–$69,990 | 60 |
| Mississippi | $59,810 | $46,220–$77,910 | 950 |
| Pennsylvania | $57,460 | $45,930–$77,480 | 11,180 |
| West Virginia | $56,730 | $47,740–$72,240 | 350 |
| Guam | $48,460 | $39,050–$60,940 | n/p |
| Puerto Rico | $44,950 | $33,770–$59,770 | 520 |
States where BLS published a median (BLS, May 2025). n/p: not published (too few responses, or withheld to protect employers).
Where the most jobs are
| Metro area | Jobs | Median a year |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 24,820 | $84,130 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 22,810 | $101,680 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 11,910 | $79,860 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 7,300 | $69,280 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 6,290 | $102,520 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 6,170 | $73,780 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 5,460 | $64,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 5,380 | $81,440 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 5,220 | $64,550 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 5,160 | $68,320 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 4,920 | $77,050 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,750 | $78,920 |
What do social media managers earn in the UK, Canada and Australia?
| Country | Local | In US$ |
|---|---|---|
| United StatesMedian a year (BLS, May 2025)Public Relations Specialists (27-3031) | $74,750 | $74,750 |
| United KingdomMedian a year, full-time (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional))Marketing associate professionals (SOC 3554) | £33,412 | $44,077 |
| CanadaMedian an hour (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data)Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (NOC 11202) | C$35.58 | $25.46 |
| AustraliaAverage a week, all employees (ABS, May 2025)Advertising and marketing professionals (ANZSCO 2251) | A$2,003 | $1,292 |
US dollars at the 2025 average rates: £1 = $1.3192, US$1 = C$1.3973, A$1 = $0.645 (Federal Reserve, 2025 average). The four figures measure different things, so compare each country with itself first.
UK, full-time, a year
Marketing associate professionals (SOC 2020 3554). Marketing associate professionals. ONS rates the median precise. (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional))
Canada, an hour
Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (NOC 11202), 2023-2024. Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations. (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data)
Australia: Advertising and marketing professionals. ABS publishes the average for all employees, A$2,003 a week, with a standard error of A$64 (ABS, May 2025).
What do freelance social media managers charge?
Published by the platforms, surveys and unions below, in their words. Platform figures describe that platform's own marketplace, which is worldwide; surveys are self-reported.
| What | Figure | Where | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upwork, social media managers (Upwork, checked October 2026) | $14–$35 (median $20)an hour | Worldwide | Platform data |
| Fiverr, social media managers (Fiverr, August 2026) | $15–$50an hour | Worldwide | Platform guide |
A freelance rate has to cover what an employer would: unpaid time, software, equipment, tax and holidays. The rate calculator turns the income you want into the hourly rate and project prices that cover them.
Questions
How much does a social media manager make in the US?
In the US, the median employed social media manager earns $74,750 a year, or $35.94 an hour (read from the nearest official group, Public Relations Specialists) (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $56,260 to $100,370.
How much does a social media manager make in the UK?
In the UK, the nearest official group (Marketing associate professionals) has a full-time median of £33,412 a year, about $44,077 (ONS ASHE, April 2025 (provisional)). Marketing associate professionals.
How much does a social media manager make in Canada?
In Canada, Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations (NOC 11202) earn a median of C$35.58 an hour, about $25.46 (Job Bank Canada, 2023–24 data). Professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations.
How much does a social media manager make in Australia?
In Australia, employees in Advertising and marketing professionals (ANZSCO 2251) average A$2,003 a week, part-time included, about $1,292 (ABS, May 2025). ABS publishes averages only at this level, not percentiles.
How much should a freelance social media manager charge?
Published figures: Upwork, social media managers: $14 to $35 an hour, median $20 (Upwork, checked October 2026); Fiverr, social media managers: $15 to $50 an hour (Fiverr, August 2026). These are platform and survey figures, not a census. To work out your own rate from the income you want, your costs and your billable hours, use the free calculator at https://tryslicemedia.com/tools/creative-rate-calculator.
How many social media managers are self-employed?
BLS counts 314,500 public relations specialists in the US in 2025, of whom 1.1% are self-employed, and projects growth of 1.8% by 2035 (BLS projections 2025–35). The wage figures above cover employees only.
Sources
- Australian Bureau of Statistics, Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, May 2025, Data Cube 11, published 23 January 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataAverage (mean) weekly total cash earnings of ALL employees in May 2025, part-time included, by ANZSCO four-digit occupation. ABS publishes no percentiles at this level. Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
- Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Foreign Exchange Rates, G.5A Annual, 2025 averages, published 5 January 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataAverage of 2025 daily noon buying rates in New York. US government work, public domain.
- Employment and Social Development Canada (Job Bank), Job Bank wages, 2025 release (open data), published 19 November 2025. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataHourly wages by occupation (NOC 2021), mostly from Statistics Canada's Labour Force Survey, 2023–2024. Job Bank's "low" and "high" wages are the 10th and 90th percentiles in most cases. Open Government Licence – Canada.
- Office for National Statistics (UK), Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional, Table 14 (occupation by SOC 2020 four-digit), published 23 October 2025. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataEmployee jobs in April 2025, from HMRC PAYE records. Full-time employees, gross pay. Figures ONS judges unreliable or disclosive are suppressed and shown here as not published. Provisional: ONS revises them a year later. Open Government Licence v3.0.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, published 15 May 2026. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataSurvey of about 1.1 million employer establishments over three years. Wage and salary workers only: the self-employed are not included. Annual figures are hourly wages times 2,080 hours. US government work, public domain.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35, Table 1.2. Checked 2 October 2026. Official dataProjected change in employment from 2025 to 2035, including the self-employed, and the share of workers who are self-employed. US government work, public domain.
How the roles are matched to official groups, and the rest of the method: Creative pay 2026. Download the data (CSV).
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