How much do social media managers make? A salary guide for 2026
Written by Ronnie Gomez
Published on February 12, 2026
Reading time 8 minutes
Table of Contents
How much do social media managers make? Well, that depends.
We know that’s not the answer you’re looking for, but it’s the truth. Everything from geographic location to years of experience impacts salary ranges.
Tons of resources have collected data that accounts for these variables. If you’re looking for an average social media salary for your unique situation, you’ll find it in this article.
We’ve compiled data from sources across the web to provide you with everything you need to know about average social media manager salaries. Use this information to set fair expectations and negotiate the pay you deserve.
Quick summary: 2026 Social media manager salary benchmarks
| Category | 2026 Estimated Average | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| US National Average | $64,000 – $84,000 | Stable / Slight Increase |
| Remote Roles | ~$90,000 | High Demand |
| Freelance Rates | $25 – $150+ per hour | Widening Gap |
What is an average social media manager salary?
The average social media manager salary in the United States is $74,000 per year, with total compensation reaching up to $96,000 when including bonuses and additional pay. This baseline varies significantly based on location, experience level, industry and specialization.
Social media management went from being questioned as a career path to becoming a full-team operation. Businesses compete to secure talent, creating an ideal market for those seeking a career in social media.
Let’s look at how all this change impacts base pay for social media managers of all stripes. Here are the salary ranges you can expect by geographic market, industry, experience and more.
How much do social media managers make in the US?
Social media managers working in the United States can expect salary fluctuations based on the region they work out of.
As of February 2026, the average salary for social media marketers across the US is a base pay of around $74,000 with opportunities for nearly $20,000 in additional compensation. These figures continue to rise as demand for experienced social media talent grows.
Source: BuiltIn
Here’s how that number changes when you look at specific cities across the US:
| City | Average Salary (2026) |
|---|---|
| Seattle, WA | $83,958 |
| Miami, FL | $80,750 |
| New York City, NY | $78,720 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $76,151 |
| Chicago, IL | $69,432 |
| Denver, CO | $68,960 |
How remote work affects social media manager salaries
According to a recent study from Upwork, over 40 million American workers expect to work remotely in the next few years. If you’re a social media manager who counts yourself among them, the market has become highly competitive. Remote social media manager roles now expect an average salary of $90,510, often matching rates found in major metro areas to attract top talent.
How much do social media managers make in Europe?
According to findings from the UK and Ireland edition of the Sprout Social Index™, hiring social media talent is the #1 challenge facing European social media teams today.
Thanks to the growing role of social media in Europe, hiring has become increasingly competitive in the region. Here are the median salaries social marketers can express in countries throughout Europe, according to Glassdoor:
| Country | Average Salary Range (2026) |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom | £34,000 |
| Germany | €45,000 |
| France | €38,000 |
| Spain | €28,000 |
How much do social media managers make in different industries?
When it comes to social, some industries seem to outperform others.
It may be due to audience engagement or content creation opportunities. Whatever the case is, that social performance is often reflected back in a social media manager’s earning potential.
Zippia segmented their social media manager salary data by industry and found that professionals working in:
- Technology can expect an average salary of $82,246
- Finance can expect an average salary of $74,173
- Retail can expect an average salary of $70,013
- Hospitality can expect an average salary of $67,443
How much do social media managers make based on experience?
Social has officially been around long enough for us to observe long-term social media manager career trajectories. That means there’s new data on what marketers can expect to make as they gain more experience.
Rachel Karten, social media consultant and author of the Link In Bio newsletter, surveyed 1,000 social marketers to analyze compensation trends. Her research found that:
- Social media professionals with 1-3 years of experience make an average salary of $56,605
- Social media professionals with 3-5 years of experience make an average salary of $64,320
- Social media managers with 5-7 years of experience make an average salary of $78,129
How much do social media managers make by gender?
Gender pay disparity remains a persistent issue in marketing. Recent data from Zippia and Hootsuite highlights that while the gap is narrowing in some areas, significant work remains.
These discrepancies also exist in the world of social. Zippia and Hootsuite’s research looked at average salary by gender and found that:
- Men receive an average salary of $70,864
- Women receive an average salary of $67,333 (roughly 95 cents to the dollar for similar roles)
- However, when looking at uncontrolled data (including leadership representation), the gap widens, with some reports showing women earning roughly 76% of what men earn in the broader industry.
How much do freelance social media managers make?
Freelance social media managers and consultants have the power to control their workload, therefore controlling their income. Keeping that cash flow up starts with setting the right fees.
Data from Upwork shows that the median hourly rate for social media managers ranges from $14-$35.
Project-based rates vary by business size and project type. For example, the average cost of account management services for small businesses is around $400-$2,000. On the other hand, larger companies might pay anywhere from $2,500-$10,000 for the same services.
Speaking directly to freelancers, your rates should reflect your expertise, the value you deliver and your operating costs. Don’t undervalue your services—businesses pay premium rates for specialists who demonstrate clear ROI.
Social media management platforms like Sprout Social support freelancers in showcasing measurable results through comprehensive analytics and reporting, strengthening your case for higher rates when you can prove engagement growth, conversion impact and customer satisfaction improvements.
3 Trends driving social media manager salary expectations
The current state of the US job market is confusing, to say the least.
Despite this, current and aspiring social media managers should remain optimistic. In a world where social trends shape everything from consumer buying habits to brand reputation, social media managers aren’t a “nice-to-have.” They’re business critical.
To better understand other drivers behind the data listed above, let’s take a look at three trends affecting social media manager salary expectations.
AI skills are commanding premium salaries
Social media managers who develop AI proficiency position themselves for higher compensation as demand for these skills grows. According to the 2025 Sprout Social Index™, 97% of marketing leaders say it is crucial for marketers to know how to use AI in their work. The ability to leverage AI for content creation, analytics interpretation and audience targeting has become a key differentiator in competitive job markets.
Contrary to fears of job loss, 54% of marketing leaders believe AI will empower them to grow their teams (add new roles) rather than eliminate them. Professionals who combine AI capabilities with strong creative and analytical skills position themselves at the top of the compensation scale.
As organizations increasingly adopt AI tools, managers who can demonstrate measurable efficiency gains and strategic AI integration strengthen their negotiating position.
Social media roles are becoming more specialized
How many people does it take to manage a strategic presence across multiple social media platforms?
In today’s social landscape, quite a few.
Consumer social media usage has been steadily rising over the past few years. More people are turning to social to communicate with and about businesses, creating new opportunities within the channel. Coincidentally, this also creates more work for social media teams.
A quick search on any job board will reveal several new titles that fall under the umbrella of social media management. Each of these new roles calls for its own social media skill set, whether that be account management, data and analytics, content creation or customer care.
This increase in departmental scope has created new paths for career advancement, helping social media managers claim more executive-level titles and higher salaries.
SMMs are speaking up about unfair expectations
Saying social has evolved over the past few years is like saying “water is wet” to a social media manager. But those working outside of social may not share the same understanding.
This disconnect has led to several job postings that request a full team’s worth of work from a single person. It’s an outdated idea of what a social media manager can accomplish alone, even worse when it comes with an outdated salary.
Several established social media managers have taken to #MarketingTwitter to voice their frustrations about these mismatched expectations. To better understand the conversation at large, we used Sprout Social’s Advanced Listening tool to analyze Tweets sent on the topic from January 1, 2022, to August 17, 2022.
We found that since the start of 2022, 2,183 authors have driven over 430,000 engagements after speaking out about discrepancies between work and salary expectations for social media managers. This Tweet from @ChiThukral sums the conversation up well:
Social media managers are experts when it comes to raising awareness for brands and causes. As they lean on these skills to advocate for their career and compensation growth, we’ll continue to see gains in salary averages.
How to negotiate your social media manager salary
Preparation is essential for salary discussions. Use the data in this guide to establish your baseline expectations.
Before you negotiate, document your impact. Gather specific metrics like engagement growth, successful campaigns and ROI to prove your strategic value.
Numbers speak louder than responsibilities. When you can show that your social strategy increased conversions by 25% or drove $50K in attributed revenue, you’re building an undeniable case for higher compensation.
Time your request strategically. The best opportunities for negotiation are during the hiring process after receiving an offer, during annual reviews or after delivering major wins. Don’t wait for the “perfect moment”—create it by demonstrating consistent value.
When you make your ask, consider the full package. If base salary has limitations, negotiate for bonuses, equity, additional vacation time, professional development budgets or flexible work arrangements. Sometimes the most valuable wins aren’t reflected in your base salary.
Practice your pitch with these tactics:
- Lead with data: Use market rates from this guide to anchor your request
- Quantify your impact: Cite specific engagement growth, conversion rates and revenue attribution
- Frame your value: Connect your work to business outcomes, not just tasks completed
- Project confidence: You’re negotiating fair compensation for business-critical work, not asking for a favor
Get the social media manager salary you deserve
When it comes to salary discussions, preparation is essential. Gathering market-specific pay data before negotiations ensures you can advocate for fair compensation. But data alone isn’t enough—you need to articulate your value.
The most successful negotiations happen when you can demonstrate measurable impact. Whether you’re managing a Fortune 500 brand’s social presence or building a startup’s community from scratch, tracking metrics like engagement growth, conversion rates and customer satisfaction proves your strategic value.
Building high-value skills directly increases your earning potential—explore our guide to essential social media skills to identify your next growth opportunity.
When you’re ready to demonstrate ROI and strengthen your case for higher compensation, start a free trial of Sprout Social to access the analytics and reporting capabilities that help social media managers prove measurable business impact.
FAQs about Social Media Manager Salaries
What qualifications do you need to be a social media manager?
Most employers seek a bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications, though equivalent experience increasingly substitutes for formal education. Entry-level roles require 1-2 years of experience, while senior positions expect 5+ years plus expertise in content creation, analytics and strategy.
Is social media manager a stressful job?
Social media management is demanding due to fast-paced changes and real-time expectations, but most professionals find it rewarding for creative expression and career growth. Stress levels vary by company culture, team size and access to proper tools.
How can I negotiate a higher social media manager salary?
Research market rates for your location and experience level, document your measurable achievements like engagement growth and ROI, and time your request strategically during hiring or annual reviews. Consider total compensation beyond base salary and practice articulating your unique value with data.
What skills are most valuable for increasing my salary as a social media manager?
Data analytics, paid social advertising, video content creation and AI tool proficiency command the highest premiums. The ability to demonstrate ROI and tie social efforts to business outcomes is increasingly essential.
How does company size affect social media manager salaries?
How does company size affect social media manager salaries?
Enterprise companies offer the highest base salaries ($70k-$90k+) with comprehensive benefits, while startups provide lower base pay but equity and rapid advancement. Mid-size companies and agencies fall in between, offering competitive pay plus valuable experience. Zippia’s salary research provides detailed breakdowns by company size and industry.
Share