U.S. Marketing Jobs Report
Following a high-energy first quarter, the U.S. marketing job market took a breath in Q2. Overall volumes declined, postings remained open longer, and opportunities for early-career talent narrowed. While the data suggests a cooldown, it reflects a broader rebalancing rather than a sharp correction.
Senior marketing talent remains in demand, particularly at the executive level. Product and Growth Marketing roles continued to show strength, both in volume and compensation. Meanwhile, mid-level and generalist roles have grown more competitive, with longer hiring cycles and higher barriers to entry.
In collaboration with Aspen Technology Labs, Taligence analyzed over 83,000 active client-side marketing job listings in Q2 2025. This report examines job-level dynamics, functional specialization, regional shifts, salary trends, and the evolution of remote work.
The Q2 landscape may feel cooler, but the story beneath the surface is one of strategic selectivity. Employers are hiring with intent. Candidates are responding with clarity and focus. For those who know how to navigate this moment, opportunities remain very real.
Note: This report covers full-time, client-side marketing positions only. Future editions may incorporate agency-side data for a more complete picture. We’re also exploring the talent supply side of the market - the number and distribution of job seekers, which we aim to address in future studies.
Key Findings
1. Overall Market Correction
- Total active job listings in Q2 2025 reached 83,754, representing a 6.7% decline quarter-over-quarter (QoQ).
- New listings saw a 13.2% reduction from Q1 2025, with 51,240 new jobs created.
- The number of employers posting marketing jobs was 22,696.
- Job listings at quarter-end (June 30, 2025) stood at 33,678, reflecting 0.7% year-over-year (YoY) growth, but a 6.6% decline from the end of Q1 (March 31, 2025).
- Job volumes dipped in early June but recovered by mid-month.
2. Senior Roles Show Resilience
- Total active senior marketing jobs (Director-level and above) in Q2: 10,372 (-2.2% QoQ).
- New senior marketing job listings: 6,388 (-5.3% QoQ).
- Quarter-end total: 4,327, up 5.4% YoY but down 2.7% from the end of Q1.
3. Job Level Dynamics
- C-level positions saw significant growth (+34.8% YoY).
- Group Director/Senior Director/VP levels also experienced substantial growth (+17% YoY).
- Conversely, ED/SVP/EVP jobs cooled, with median salaries down 16% YoY and 15.2% QoQ.
- Entry-level roles were hit hardest: Associate and entry-level listings declined 6.7% YoY and 15.1% QoQ.
4. Disciplinary Shifts and Salary Trends
- Growth Disciplines
- Product Marketing: +9.8% YoY
- Growth Marketing: +8.9% YoY
- Field Marketing: +5.5% YoY
- Media: +4.1% YoY
- Declining Disciplines
- Partner & Channel Marketing: -12.1% YoY, -25.5% QoQ
- Communications & PR: -11% YoY, -17% QoQ
- Digital Marketing: -3.2% YoY, -10.3% QoQ
- Highest Median Pay
- Product Marketing: $160,004
- Largest YoY Pay Increases
- Field Marketing: +13.2%
- Analytical Marketing: +7.9%
- Growth Marketing: +7.7%
- Content Marketing: +7.1%
5. Slower Hiring Speed
- The average posting lifetime (days a job stays on the market) in Q2 was 34 days: 5 days longer than a year ago, and 3 days longer than Q1 2025.
- Longer posting lifetimes indicate slower decision-making cycles, this despite the promise of AI tooling to make recruiting more efficient for both sides of the marketplace.
6. Salary Transparency and Pay Trends
- Salary transparency reached 51.9% of all listings, up 8.5 percentage points YoY.
- The median salary across all marketing jobs stayed flat at $84,999 (0% YoY).
7. Remote Jobs Hold Steady
- Remote job share at the end of Q2: 14.3%, down just 0.7 percentage points YoY.
- Remote job listings remained stable and ticked upward slightly in June.
8. Geographic Trends - States
- Top 10 States by Job Volume: California, New York, Texas, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Washington.
- Virginia has fallen out of the top 10 (No. 13) due to significant job volume decline (-12.4% YoY, -17.5% QoQ).
- States with Notable Job Growth (YoY):
- Texas (+9.2%)
- New York (+6.1%)
- Florida (+3.9%)
- States with Notable Job Decline (YoY):
- Massachusetts (-8.9%)
- Georgia (-8.2%)
- Pennsylvania (-6.7%)
- Salary Movement (YoY):
- Increased: Massachusetts (+21.5%), Washington (+15.8%), Illinois (+13.3%)
- Declined: New Jersey (-18.2%), Georgia (-12.9%)
9. Geographic Trends - Cities
- Top 10 Cities by Job Volume: New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Seattle, Dallas, Houston.
- Cities with Notable Job Growth (YoY):
- San Francisco (+24.6%)
- Austin (+15.2%)
- Dallas (+10.6%)
- Cities with Notable Job Decline (YoY):
- Houston (-10.5%)
- Atlanta (-5.7%)
- Chicago (-5.5%)
- Salary Movement (YoY):
- Increased: Seattle (+26.1%), Boston (+12.6%), San Francisco (+10.7%)
- Declined: Houston (-5.7%), Austin (-4.3%)
Conclusion
The Q2 2025 marketing job market is undergoing a correction from the previous quarter’s expansion. While overall job volume and hiring speed have decreased, the market shows a clear preference for experienced, senior-level talent, particularly C-suite and VP roles, and demand continues for specialized disciplines like Product Marketing and Growth Marketing. Companies are becoming more discerning in their hiring decisions, as reflected in longer job posting lifetimes. Geographically, major hubs like New York and California continue to dominate, with New York City remaining the top hiring city. However, the opportunity landscape is shifting - Seattle stands out as a prime example, seeing both an increase in jobs and in salaries.
