Latest / The Marketing Career Podcast with Fexingo: Marketing Jobs, Skills, and Career Growth / How Marketing Salaries Differ by City in 2026
Transcript
- Lucas: So here's a question I hear constantly from marketers right now: 'Should I move to a cheaper city and keep my salary, or will I take a pay cut?' And the answer in 2026 is more complicated than it was even two years ago. Luna: I feel like everyone assumed remote work would flatten salaries across the country, but that's not what's happening. Lucas: Not at all. In fact, a lot of companies are now using location-based pay bands more aggressively than they did in 2020 or 2021. I was looking at some data from a compensation analytics firm, and the gap between a senior marketing manager in San Francisco versus one in Austin is about 22 percent on raw salary. Luna: Twenty-two percent. But Austin's cost of living is what, maybe 30 percent lower than San Francisco? So on paper, you come out ahead in Austin. Lucas: Right, that's the standard argument. But the nuance is that companies are getting more granular. Some are using zip-code-based tiers, so if you move from downtown San Francisco to a suburb, you might actually see a small adjustment. And a growing number of firms are adopting a 'national rate' for remote roles that's set somewhere in the middle. Luna: The middle? That sounds like it could be a raw deal for people in high-cost cities. Lucas: It can be. I talked to a marketer at a mid-sized SaaS company, and she was based in New York, making $140,000. Her company switched to a national pay band for fully remote employees and her salary was adjusted to $115,000. She had to decide whether to stay remote or come into the office — they offered a hybrid tier at $130,000. Luna: That's a twenty-five thousand dollar difference just for showing up a few days a week. I think a lot of marketers don't realize how much companies value in-person presence right now. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not just about being seen. Companies argue that collaboration and mentorship suffer remotely, and they're willing to pay a premium to have people in the room. But the data also shows that marketers who negotiate — like, really negotiate — can narrow that gap. Luna: What's the best way to do that? Because I think a lot of people just accept whatever band they're given. Lucas: The single most effective thing is to bring your own data. Not just a cost of living calculator, but specific salary surveys for your role, your industry, and your experience level. There are now several platforms that let you filter by company size and city. If you can show that the median for a senior brand manager in your city is $130,000 and they're offering $115,000, you have leverage. Luna: And I imagine being willing to come in a couple days a week helps too. Lucas: Huge. One recruiter told me that candidates who are open to hybrid are getting 8 to 12 percent higher offers than pure remote ones, even within the same company. So if you can be flexible on that, it's worth mentioning early. Luna: Let's talk about the cities that are actually paying well for marketing roles in 2026. Is San Francisco still the top? Lucas: It is, but the gap is shrinking. According to a recent report, the average marketing manager salary in San Francisco is about $150,000. In New York it's $145,000. But then you've got cities like Denver and Atlanta hovering around $120,000, and when you adjust for cost of living, you actually have more disposable income in those secondary markets. Luna: I've noticed a lot of marketers moving to places like Columbus, Ohio or Raleigh-Durham. They're not the sexiest names, but the quality of life argument is strong. Lucas: And those cities are building real marketing ecosystems. Raleigh has a growing tech scene, Columbus has a ton of corporate headquarters. You're not sacrificing career growth by moving there. In fact, some marketers say they get more responsibility earlier because the talent pool is smaller. Luna: If today was actually useful to you, the way these stay ad-free is listener support — buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It really does help us keep the conversation going without any sponsor interruptions. Lucas: Yeah, it's a small way to say this content matters to you. Totally voluntary, but every bit helps us keep digging into topics like this. Luna: So back to the salary geography — what about marketers who are fully remote but live in a low-cost area? Are they getting squeezed? Lucas: Some are. There's a trend I find kind of troubling: companies using the remote worker's location to justify lower pay, even when that worker is producing the same output. I saw a case where a content marketer in Tulsa was offered $85,000 for a role that had a $110,000 band in San Francisco. The company's rationale was 'cost of labor.' Luna: Cost of labor is not the same as cost of living. That feels like a way to pay people less just because they don't live in a coastal city. Lucas: That's exactly the debate. Some states have even started passing laws about salary transparency to address this. For example, Colorado and New York require companies to post salary ranges. But those laws don't cover remote workers in other states, so there's still a lot of grey area. Luna: If I'm a marketer in a mid-sized city and I want the highest possible salary, what should I do? Lucas: First, target companies that have a strong remote culture and a national pay band. Companies like GitLab, Buffer, and Zapier have published their compensation formulas. They pay the same for the same role regardless of location. Second, consider roles at companies headquartered in high-cost cities — they often have higher base salaries even for remote positions because the band is set for the HQ location. Luna: That's a smart hack. So you're essentially piggybacking on the San Francisco or New York salary band. Lucas: Exactly. But you also have to be aware that some companies are now using 'geo-differential' software that automatically adjusts your pay if you move. So if you relocate to a cheaper area, your salary might drop unless you negotiate a lock-in. Luna: I've heard of people not telling their employer they moved precisely to avoid that. But that seems risky. Lucas: It is. Companies are using IP tracking and VPN detection more often now. I know of at least one case where a marketer was fired for falsifying their location. So better to be transparent and negotiate upfront. Luna: What about the international angle? Are U.S. marketers seeing competition from overseas? Lucas: Not as much as in tech or customer support. Marketing requires deep cultural context — language nuance, local trends, regulatory knowledge. So while companies might hire a SEO specialist in the Philippines for $30,000, they're not going to outsource a brand strategist role. That said, for very technical roles like marketing analytics or ad buying, there is some offshore competition. Luna: So the premium for being a U.S.-based marketer is still there, but it's concentrated in roles that require strategic thinking and cultural fluency. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why I think marketers should lean into those skills. If your value is in understanding the American consumer, the regulatory environment, and the competitive landscape, you're not easily replaceable. The salary data backs that up — the biggest premiums are for roles like brand director, product marketing manager, and content strategist. Luna: Let's zoom out. If someone is early in their marketing career, what city should they target for the best long-term earning potential? Lucas: I'd say Austin or Denver. Both have strong job growth, lower cost of living than the coasts, and a lot of companies relocating there. But I'd also consider remote-first roles from day one. The flexibility to live wherever while earning a national salary is a huge advantage. The key is to be intentional about where you base yourself and to negotiate your salary based on data, not on what the company offers first. Luna: So the takeaway: don't assume your salary is fixed by location. Do your homework, bring data, and be willing to negotiate on hybrid vs remote. Lucas: Exactly. The market is more fluid than people think. And with salary transparency laws spreading, we're going to see even more data that empowers marketers to make better choices. Luna: I hope this episode gives people the confidence to have that conversation with their boss or a potential employer. It's worth it. Lucas: Absolutely. Thanks for listening, and we'll be back next week with another deep dive.