Advertising sales agents salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $64,820 | $31.16 |
| Mean (average) | $80,670 | $38.79 |
| 90th percentile | $146,010 | $70.20 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Advertising sales agents pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $50,870 | $22,410 | $106,530 | 910 | 0.73 |
| Alaska | $43,840 | $30,850 | $111,150 | 230 | 1.2 |
| Arizona | $62,050 | $35,720 | $103,100 | 1,160 | 0.61 |
| Arkansas | $49,120 | $28,920 | $96,150 | 900 | 1.18 |
| California | $80,360 | $42,260 | $157,130 | 9,620 | 0.9 |
| Colorado | $73,420 | $38,160 | $164,930 | 1,110 | 0.65 |
| Connecticut | $61,820 | $34,010 | $140,180 | 740 | 0.74 |
| Delaware | $52,480 | $37,880 | $85,220 | 140 | 0.48 |
| District of Columbia | $75,030 | $58,990 | $176,270 | 320 | 0.77 |
| Florida | $58,420 | $34,680 | $128,120 | 6,420 | 1.1 |
| Georgia | $58,140 | $29,690 | $117,110 | 3,150 | 1.09 |
| Hawaii | $61,290 | $40,790 | $92,520 | 310 | 0.85 |
| Idaho | $53,460 | $28,800 | $158,610 | 220 | 0.44 |
| Illinois | $66,290 | $31,200 | $142,870 | 3,790 | 1.05 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | $28,450 | $103,870 | 1,410 | 0.74 |
| Iowa | $58,480 | $30,250 | $92,120 | 900 | 0.98 |
| Kansas | $48,660 | $27,150 | $90,440 | 920 | 1.08 |
| Kentucky | $51,580 | $27,740 | $93,490 | 620 | 0.53 |
| Louisiana | $48,810 | $25,480 | $100,800 | 860 | 0.75 |
| Maine | $48,780 | $37,600 | $104,990 | 400 | 1.06 |
| Maryland | $59,830 | $43,130 | $137,590 | 880 | 0.54 |
| Massachusetts | $80,500 | $45,130 | $134,820 | 1,480 | 0.69 |
| Michigan | $64,800 | $40,180 | $134,950 | 2,040 | 0.78 |
| Minnesota | $62,660 | $35,340 | $127,710 | 1,750 | 1 |
| Mississippi | $46,810 | $24,740 | $100,500 | 490 | 0.71 |
| Missouri | $61,440 | $37,020 | $128,300 | 1,640 | 0.95 |
| Montana | $46,040 | $28,730 | $84,270 | 240 | 0.78 |
| Nebraska | $62,890 | $32,180 | $180,510 | 1,190 | 1.97 |
| Nevada | Data unavailable | 580 | 0.64 | ||
| New Hampshire | $54,870 | $30,500 | $101,120 | 290 | 0.71 |
| New Jersey | $69,620 | $37,760 | $125,890 | 2,110 | 0.84 |
| New Mexico | $45,620 | $28,920 | $93,560 | 300 | 0.59 |
| New York | $98,360 | $49,560 | $178,600 | 13,570 | 2.37 |
| North Carolina | Data unavailable | 2,220 | 0.76 | ||
| North Dakota | $50,110 | $32,180 | $94,440 | 260 | 1.01 |
| Ohio | $50,410 | $31,200 | $96,840 | 3,220 | 0.98 |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 | $27,460 | $173,050 | 700 | 0.69 |
| Oregon | $62,810 | $35,820 | $106,330 | 960 | 0.83 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,350 | $35,770 | $115,950 | 4,260 | 1.19 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,160 | $26,150 | $58,700 | 520 | 0.94 |
| Rhode Island | $48,040 | $39,470 | $104,550 | 340 | 1.14 |
| South Carolina | $68,200 | $25,750 | $147,110 | 1,770 | 1.3 |
| South Dakota | $60,190 | $39,010 | $95,670 | 390 | 1.46 |
| Tennessee | $40,910 | $28,200 | $82,960 | 1,820 | 0.94 |
| Texas | $60,280 | $31,710 | $99,710 | 6,230 | 0.75 |
| Utah | $74,260 | $38,470 | $155,120 | 1,110 | 1.08 |
| Vermont | $58,750 | $35,220 | $102,570 | 160 | 0.91 |
| Washington | $101,320 | $52,510 | $183,700 | 3,510 | 1.67 |
| West Virginia | $44,700 | $20,580 | $93,170 | 290 | 0.71 |
| Wisconsin | $63,270 | $37,950 | $118,740 | 1,290 | 0.75 |
| Wyoming | $47,290 | $28,900 | $123,310 | 150 | 0.89 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for advertising sales agents
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 7,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 7.7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for advertising sales agents
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Selling Skills and Sales Operations CIP 52.1804
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Explain to customers how specific types of advertising will help promote their products or services in the most effective way possible.
- Prepare and deliver sales presentations to new and existing customers to sell new advertising programs and to protect and increase existing advertising.
- Obtain and study information about clients' products, needs, problems, advertising history, and business practices to offer effective sales presentations and appropriate product assistance.
- Provide clients with estimates of the costs of advertising products or services.
- Maintain assigned account bases while developing new accounts.
- Recommend appropriate sizes and formats for advertising, depending on medium used.
- Locate and contact potential clients to offer advertising services.
- Draw up contracts for advertising work, and collect payments due.
Technology skills
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (in demand)
- Adobe InDesign (in demand)
- Adobe Photoshop (in demand)
- Canva (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Salesforce software (in demand)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- WordPress (hot technology)
- Contact management software
Transferable skills for career changers: Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Negotiation, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Advertising Account Executive, Advertising Account Representative, Advertising Consultant, Advertising Representative, Advertising Sales Representative (Ad Sales Representative), Directory Advertising Sales Representative (Directory Advertising Sales Rep), Display Advertising Sales Representative (Display Advertising Sales Rep), Media Consultant, Multimedia Sales Consultant, Retail Advertising Account Executive.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do advertising sales agents make?
The national median annual wage for advertising sales agents was $64,820 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $35,240 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $146,010. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do advertising sales agents need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and moderate-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is advertising sales agents a growing career?
BLS projects employment of advertising sales agents to change -7.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 7,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay advertising sales agents the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Washington ($101,320), New York ($98,360), Massachusetts ($80,500). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.