Email marketing: a proven and popular form of digital marketing that connects brands to their audience directly. Although the role has been around for a (relatively) long time, email marketing specialists continue to be in high demand as the medium continues to be a reliable source for sales and lead generation.

But before you dive straight into training, you should know if the salary makes the career worth exploring. Or, if you’re already working in the field, it’s worth knowing whether they’re compensating you fairly or it’s negotiation time. 

This email marketing specialist salary guide will show clear salary ranges and how they typically differ across cities, experience levels, and industries.

We’ll cover:

1. Email marketing specialist salary by experience
2. Email marketing specialist salary by city
3. Email marketing specialist salary by industry
4. How to become an email marketing specialist
5. Next steps

You can use the clickable menu to skip ahead. Let’s get started!

1. Email marketing specialist salary by experience

First off—what is the average email marketing specialist’s salary?

According to Glassdoor: $53,827 per year

Generally, most companies pay salaries based on experience. The higher the number of years of relevant experience you have, the higher the salary offer. More experience also means that you have more leverage to negotiate a higher salary.

Here’s what the average email marketing specialist’s salary can look like based on years of experience. 

Entry-level email marketing specialist salary

Average salary: $47,000

Entry-level email marketing specialist roles typically require up to two years of experience. Employers would expect you to have basic knowledge of email marketing. However, they know you will be learning on the job and have a steep learning curve.

Although the exact average salary for this experience level is unknown, Zippia estimates that most entry-level email marketing specialist roles pay about $47,000. This figure sees a quick climb as you gain more experience and will differ based on location and industry.

Mid-level email marketing specialist salary

Average salary: $50,000–60,000

Mid-level roles require two to five years of experience in email marketing or a closely related field, like advertising and marketing. Your employer would expect you to know how to build lists, segment audiences, and monitor email performance.

The average salary for this experience level in the U.S. is between $50,000 to $60,000. This will also vary based on industry and specific location.

Senior-level email marketing specialist salary

Average salary: $59,117

The senior-level email marketing specialist is the highest-paid role. At this level, you would likely head a team. You will be responsible for creating email strategies for the various audience segments, nurturing leads, and collating and presenting results.

Most senior-level email marketing specialists have worked in various digital marketing roles and worked extensively as email marketing specialists. 

According to salary.com, the average senior email marketing specialist salary is $59,117, with the total average pay ranging from $47,000 to $74,000. The total compensation will increase based on education, industry, and specific experience. 

2. Email marketing specialist salary by city

Job descriptions may be similar, but pay will differ significantly among cities worldwide. Many factors affect this difference, including the cost of living, local tax rate, and the forces of demand and supply in each location. 

The higher the cost of living and local tax rate, the higher the likelihood of a better salary—but evidently, much of that take-home pay will go back out in living expenses. Increased demand for email marketing specialists met with low supply will typically create a competitive environment that can drive up average salaries.

Let’s compare the average salaries in some cities to give an overview of available salary ranges. All salary data is taken from Glassdoor or Payscale.

3. Email marketing specialist salary by industry

An email marketing specialist’s salary varies by industry because of some key differences. Most companies will benefit from email marketing, but some industries may be more willing to pay more for it for different reasons. One common factor is the size issue, where big companies with high profit margins can afford to pay more for email marketing services. 

According to Glassdoor, these are the average salaries for email marketing specialists in various industries.

• Information technology: $89,249
• Financial services: $84,753
• Management and consulting: $79,154
• Media and communication: $74,799
• Human resources and staffing: $73,653

It’s good to note these average salaries, but be sure to compare job descriptions as well to recognize the specific needs of this role in each industry.

4. How to become an email marketing specialist

The good news is that you don’t need a four-year degree to become an email marketing specialist. However, it can be challenging to figure out how exactly to acquire the necessary skills. Some companies will require that you have at least a bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, or another related course, while others are satisfied with a portfolio.  

If you’re new to email marketing, here are some steps to take you from clueless to skilled.

Improve your writing skills

Writing is a key skill to becoming an email marketing specialist. Like most other skills, you can learn it. Creating content for email marketing often involves crafting promotional text that gets the readers to take action. For effective copywriting, you need to understand the art of persuasion and human psychology. 

While it is possible to teach yourself copywriting using books and articles online, you might find it helpful to take a guided course:  CareerFoundry’s Digital Marketing Course, which equips you with skills for various types of digital marketing, including email marketing.

This includes how to develop a strategy for email chains, write an email chain from scratch, learn about the restrictions and regulations of email marketing, design an email newsletter, and practice aligning writing with buyer personas and campaign goals.

Build a portfolio 

Certificates are nice but don’t mean much without proof that you can apply the knowledge. Employers want to see what you can do with theoretical knowledge. Finding a job without experience can be challenging, so your best bet is to use case studies to build your portfolio. 

Start publishing your writing since it is one of the top skills to showcase. You can even start a newsletter to learn how to build an email list. Then, after some time, compile these results and present them in your portfolio. 

Gain hands-on experience

Once you can enter the door via an internship, entry-level role, or even switching roles within your current company, it’s time to learn as much as possible. This time, you’ll be handling real-life scenarios with measurable results. The results will help you figure out what works and what doesn’t.

Another option is to offer your email marketing services to friends or family who run a local business. This will give you room to grow your strategy skills, build a list from scratch, and experiment with different ways to nurture your list.

Read our full guide on how to become a digital marketer.

5. Next steps

Email marketing will be relevant for a long time, so it’s a skill worth obtaining. While not the highest-paid role in the digital marketing field, there’s always room to negotiate based on your knowledge and experience. 

Many companies like to employ email marketing specialists under different titles like marketing consultant or digital marketer, so be sure to read the job description carefully. If you want a hands-on introduction to digital marketing first, try out this free, 5-day short course. 

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