Marketing Manager

💰 $105K–$153K salary range

Median: $126K  ·  Based on 1,071 public job postings  ·  Updated August 30, 2026

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These professionals are instrumental in translating complex AI capabilities into compelling market narratives and executing data-driven go-to-market strategies for AI-native products. Based on an analysis of 208 job postings, the compensation for the Marketing Manager role typically ranges from $120,000 to $185,000, with a median salary reported at $150,000. Individuals achieving top pay possess advanced proficiency in marketing analytics for AI adoption metrics, strategic content development for technical audiences, and hands-on experience leveraging generative AI tools for campaign optimization. This position demands a blend of strategic insight and execution excellence to effectively position cutting-edge AI solutions within competitive markets.

📊 Salary breakdown

Marketing Manager salary by location

• All locations: $126K median ($105K–$153K typical range)
• New York: $130K median, $106K–$154K range (+3% vs. national)
• San Francisco: $161K median, $139K–$200K range (+28% vs. national)
• Boston: $118K median, $107K–$136K range (-7% vs. national)
• Chicago: $118K median, $108K–$139K range (-7% vs. national)
• Los Angeles: $111K median, $100K–$129K range (-12% vs. national)
• Denver: $110K median, $103K–$123K range (-13% vs. national)
• Austin: $154K median, $110K–$175K range (+22% vs. national)
• Seattle: $135K median, $121K–$163K range (+7% vs. national)

Highest paying companies

San Francisco

• Anthropic: $271K median
• OpenAI: $236K median
• Perplexity: $220K median
• Sierra AI: $209K median
• Notion: $200K median
• Vercel: $180K median

New York

• DualEntry: $185K median
• AB InBev: $175K median
• Suno: $158K median
• Coast: $150K median
• CookUnity: $135K median
• The Farmer's Dog: $130K median

Based on companies with 3+ active postings. Median of publicly advertised salary range.

What's typically included

• Health insurance: 69% of postings
• Equity (RSU/options): 65% of postings
• Flexible PTO: 58% of postings
• Parental leave: 34% of postings
• Learning/education budget: 14% of postings
• Visa sponsorship: 4% of postings

Typical experience required: 5–6 years.

Marketing salaries by seniority

• Marketing Coordinator: $87K
• Marketing Manager: $126K
• Growth / Marketing Manager: $132K
• Senior Growth Manager: $158K
• Marketing Lead: $175K
• Head of Growth: $185K
• Growth Engineer: $188K
• VP Marketing: $200K

What does a Marketing Manager do?

Marketing Managers are marketers who drive demand, brand, and growth. This benchmark reflects Manager-level base compensation at high-growth and AI-native companies.

Government wage data

For corroboration, U.S. Department of Labor certified wage filings (FY2026) show a median of $165K for Marketing Manager roles, ranging $128K–$189K, across 214 filings. This is reported separately from — never blended with — the job-posting median above.

Common questions

What is the average Marketing Manager salary at an AI startup?
The median pay is $126K, with a typical range of $105K–$153K, based on 1,071 public job postings collected in 2025–2026.

What is the Marketing Manager salary in New York?
New York Marketing Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $130K, with a typical range of $106K–$154K (25th–75th percentile). That's 3% above the $126K US national median. 19% below San Francisco's $161K. Based on 211 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

What is the Marketing Manager salary in San Francisco?
San Francisco Marketing Managers at AI-native startups earn a median of $161K, with a typical range of $139K–$200K (25th–75th percentile). That's 28% above the $126K US national median. Based on 144 qualifying postings, 2025–2026.

Where does this salary data come from?
It is aggregated from public job postings on company career pages — no private placement or client data. We require a minimum of 15 postings per role.

Methodology

Figures are the midpoint of each posting's advertised USD salary range, aggregated from 1,071 public job postings (2025–2026). The range shown is the 25th–75th percentile; the median is the 50th percentile. Equity is separate and not included; where a posting's range reflects on-target earnings (OTE) for commission roles, that is included in the midpoint. Roles require at least 15 postings to be published. Last refreshed August 30, 2026.

Hiring Marketing Managers? RFS recruiters specialize in Marketing placements at AI-native and high-growth startups. Talk to an RFS recruiter →

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