What Does an Advertising Manager Do?
An Advertising Manager plans and directs advertising programs to generate interest in products or services. They manage advertising budgets, oversee creative development, and evaluate campaign effectiveness across traditional and digital channels. This role requires a blend of creative leadership, strategic planning, and analytical skills.
Other Job Titles for This Work
Workers in this occupation report titles such as Account Executive, Advertising Manager (Ad Manager), Advertising Sales Manager (Ad Sales Manager), Classified Advertising Manager (Classified Ad Manager), Communications Director, Communications Manager, Creative Services Director, Marketing and Promotions Manager.
Advertising Manager Duties and Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of an advertising manager include:
- Develop comprehensive advertising strategies aligned with marketing goals and target audiences.
- Manage advertising budgets and allocate spending across channels for maximum impact.
- Oversee the development of creative concepts, ad copy, and visual assets for campaigns.
- Select advertising media and negotiate rates with media outlets, networks, and platforms.
- Analyze advertising performance data and adjust campaigns to improve results.
- Coordinate with sales and marketing teams to ensure advertising supports business objectives.
- Manage relationships with advertising agencies, freelancers, and production vendors.
- Lead the advertising team and provide creative direction and professional development.
- Monitor industry trends, competitor advertising, and emerging advertising technologies.
- Present advertising plans, results, and recommendations to senior leadership.
Required Skills and Qualifications
To succeed as an advertising manager, you will need the following skills and qualifications:
- Advertising strategy and campaign management
- Creative direction and concept development
- Media planning and buying
- Budget management and cost optimization
- Digital advertising platforms (Google, Meta, programmatic)
- Performance analysis and reporting
- Team leadership and vendor management
- Brand storytelling and messaging
Education and Training
Advertising Manager positions typically require a bachelor's degree in advertising, marketing, communications, or a related field. An MBA or master's degree in marketing can provide an advantage for senior roles. Professional certifications from organizations such as the American Advertising Federation or programmatic advertising platforms can supplement formal education. A strong portfolio demonstrating successful campaigns across multiple channels is highly valued. Experience at an advertising agency or in-house creative department is essential preparation.
Salary and Job Outlook
Typical pay: $91,370 - $201,050 per year, with a median of $133,660.
The range covers the middle half of earners nationwide. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, Advertising and Promotions Managers.
Advertising Managers are needed across industries as companies compete for consumer attention across more and more media channels. The growth of digital advertising, programmatic buying, and performance marketing is expanding the technical requirements of the role. Professionals who can manage both traditional and digital advertising programs and who understand data-driven optimization will have the strongest career prospects. Advancement opportunities include VP of Advertising, Chief Marketing Officer, or leadership roles at advertising agencies.
Advertising Manager Pay Range
| Earners | Annual pay |
|---|---|
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $63,300 |
| Bottom 25% earn less than | $91,370 |
| Median (half earn more, half less) | $133,660 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $201,050 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $286,240 |
Highest-Paying States for Advertising Managers
The states with the highest median pay for this occupation are New York ($173,700), Illinois ($167,330), California ($167,230), New Jersey ($165,390), Colorado ($164,990). Pay is lowest in Arkansas ($74,880), Mississippi ($66,520), Alabama ($64,640).
Median pay in all 37 states with BLS data
| State | Median annual pay |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,640 |
| Arkansas | $74,880 |
| California | $167,230 |
| Colorado | $164,990 |
| Connecticut | $129,280 |
| District of Columbia | $143,040 |
| Georgia | $133,810 |
| Idaho | $80,680 |
| Illinois | $167,330 |
| Indiana | $113,930 |
| Iowa | $108,890 |
| Kansas | $148,560 |
| Kentucky | $107,030 |
| Louisiana | $78,810 |
| Maine | $106,280 |
| Maryland | $107,380 |
| Massachusetts | $163,090 |
| Michigan | $101,610 |
| Minnesota | $126,920 |
| Mississippi | $66,520 |
| Missouri | $81,520 |
| Montana | $131,770 |
| Nebraska | $106,380 |
| New Hampshire | $120,530 |
| New Jersey | $165,390 |
| New York | $173,700 |
| North Carolina | $121,730 |
| Ohio | $102,110 |
| Oregon | $154,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $122,940 |
| Rhode Island | $157,890 |
| South Carolina | $156,300 |
| Tennessee | $98,170 |
| Texas | $104,170 |
| Virginia | $148,400 |
| Washington | $163,380 |
| Wisconsin | $131,530 |
What the Work Is Like
O*NET surveys people who work as advertising and promotions managers about their daily conditions. Of those surveyed:
- 100% use email every day
- 91% say teamwork is very or extremely important in their job
- 85% spend more than half the workday sitting
- 83% work indoors in a climate-controlled space every day
- 81% say being exact and accurate is very or extremely important
- 80% are on the phone every day
- 63% usually work more than 40 hours a week
Education Workers Say the Job Needs
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 60% |
| High school diploma or GED | 10% |
| Associate's degree | 8% |
| Some college | 8% |
Tools and Software Advertising Managers Use
Tools and equipment
Software
Is This Job a Good Fit for You?
People who do well in this job tend to enjoy leading, persuading and making business decisions as well as organized work with data, records and clear procedures.
Skills O*NET rates most important: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Reading Comprehension, Writing.
Knowledge areas used most: Sales and Marketing, English Language, Communications and Media, Customer and Personal Service, Administration and Management.
Preparation: O*NET places this occupation in Job Zone 4 of 5, which means considerable preparation.
Related Careers
These jobs use similar skills, according to O*NET's related-occupation data:
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Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
- O*NET 30.1 Database, occupation 11-2011.00 (Advertising and Promotions Managers). View on O*NET OnLine.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. The Job Explorer has modified some of the information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these changes.