Advertising and Promotions Managers
SOC code 11-2011 · O*NET-SOC 11-2011.00 · Considerable preparation needed
Advertising and Promotions Managers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$133,660
a year
Hourly
$64.26
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$154,280
$74.18 per hour
Middle 50%
$91,370 – $201,050
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$63,300 – $286,240
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
21,470
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $63,300
- $30.43/hr
- 25th percentile
- $91,370
- $43.93/hr
- Median percentile
- $133,660
- $64.26/hr
- 75th percentile
- $201,050
- $96.66/hr
- 90th percentile
- $286,240
- $137.62/hr
What do advertising and promotions managers do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Manage sales team, including setting goals, providing incentives, and evaluating employee performance.
- Plan and prepare advertising and promotional material to increase sales of products or services, working with customers, company officials, sales departments, and advertising agencies.
- Inspect layouts and advertising copy, and edit scripts, audio, video, and other promotional material for adherence to specifications.
- Formulate plans to extend business with established accounts and to transact business as agent for advertising accounts.
- Coordinate activities of departments, such as sales, graphic arts, media, finance, and research.
- Develop communications materials, advertisements, presentations, or public relations initiatives to promote awareness of products and services.
- Develop comprehensive marketing strategies, using knowledge of products and technologies, markets, and regulations.
- Direct, motivate, and monitor the mobilization of a campaign team to advance campaign goals.
How to qualify for this work
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does an advertising and promotions managers earn?
The national median is $133,660 a year. The full range runs from $63,300 at the 10th percentile to $286,240 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become an advertising and promotions managers without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening4.1/5
- Speaking4.1/5
- Critical Thinking3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.8/5
- Writing3.8/5
Knowledge areas
- Sales and Marketing4.7/5
- English Language4.7/5
- Communications and Media4.6/5
- Administration and Management4.5/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.5/5
- Administrative3.9/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.7/5
- Computers and Electronics3.7/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.