upper level job

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary in the United States

How much does a Media Planning & Strategy Manager make in the United States?

As of August 01, 2026, the average salary for a Media Planning & Strategy Manager in the United States is $114,170 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $55.

However, a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $139,839
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $101,471 to $127,606
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $89,909
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2026 Compensation Trend
AI-Powered HR
AI Onboarding
View as table View as graph 25% $101,471 10% $89,909 90% $139,839 75% $127,606 $114,170 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $127,606 $10,634 $2,454 $61
Average $114,170 $9,514 $2,196 $55
25th Percentile $101,471 $8,456 $1,951 $49
Check out Media Planning & Strategy Manager Job Openings in the United States
Chief AI Officer

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Associate Vice President Internal Communications

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Vice President Credit Risk Strategy&Data Science

Confidential - Columbus, OH

Regional Truck Driver Company

KreilKamp Trucking - Columbus, OH

Search More Media Planning & Strategy Manager Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salaries

A Media Planning & Strategy Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education, and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Media Supervisor (7+ years): $101,844
  • Director of Media Supervisor (7+ years): $103,700
  • Media Planning & Strategy Manager (7+ years): $114,180
  • Director of Media Senior Manager (7+ years): $154,671
  • Director of Media Placement (7+ years): $173,823
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Media Supervisor7+ years$101,844
Director of Media Supervisor7+ years$103,700
Media Planning & Strategy Manager7+ years$114,180
Director of Media Senior Manager7+ years$154,671
Director of Media Placement7+ years$173,823
$101,844 Media Sup...
$103,700 Director ...
$114,180 Media Pla...
$154,671 Director ...
$173,823 Director ...
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Media Planning & Strategy Managers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $144,006
  • San Francisco: $142,429
  • Oakland: $139,427

What Skills Can Increase a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Insight (Mentioned in 3.04% Job Postings): Insight is the understanding cause and effect based on the identification of relationships and behaviors within a model, context, or scenario.
  • A/B Testing (Mentioned in 2.97% Job Postings): A/B Testing is also known as bucket testing or split-run testing. It's a method of user-experience research where by there are 2 variants of a single variable. A user will be tested in response to variant A against variant B, ultimately to determine the more effective variant.
  • Copywriting (Mentioned in 1.12% Job Postings): Copywriting is the act, or occupation of writing text for the purpose of advertising or other forms of marketing. The product, called copy, is written content that aims to increase brand awareness and ultimately persuade a person or group to take a particular action. Copywriters help create billboards, brochures, catalogs, jingle lyrics, magazine and newspaper advertisements, sales letters and other direct mail, scripts for television or radio commercials, taglines, white papers, social media posts, and other marketing communications.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Insight 3.04%
A/B Testing 2.97%
Copywriting 1.12%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's salary.
  • Marketing Automation: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Demand Generation: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Product Marketing: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Marketing Automation
$127,870
12%
Demand Generation
$122,162
7%
Product Marketing
$122,162
7%
Collaborating
$122,162
7%
Prioritization
$121,020
6%
Alignment
$119,879
5%
Get Latest Data

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Media Planning & Strategy Manager salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $127,807. While startup companies pay approximate $108,121.

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup1~50$108,121
Growth Stage51~500$114,351
Established501~5000$123,420
Enterprise5000+$127,807

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Media Planning & Strategy Manager roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 56% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Pharmaceuticals and Internet sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 28% above the average. In contrast, Media Planning & Strategy Manager positions in Transportation or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Media Planning & Strategy Manager as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Media Planning & Strategy Manager

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Pharmaceuticals$146,138$70.028%
Internet$139,287$67.022%
Insurance$125,587$60.010%
Energy & Utilities$123,304$59.08%
Telecom$121,020$58.06%

How Education impacts a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Media Planning & Strategy Managers enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Media Planning & Strategy Manager with a Bachelor's Degree is between $125,158 and $135,857).

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Media Planning & Strategy Manager
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.4%
High School 3.1%
Associates 5.4%
Bachelors 58.3%
Masters 31.4%
Doctorate 1.3%
view as graph

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Media Planning & Strategy Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on August 01, 2026

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary Growth & Career Path

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Media Planning & Strategy Manager, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Media Planning & Strategy Manager Salary Growth and Career Path
Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Strategic Advertising Senior Manager $154,700 35%
Director of Media Senior Manager $154,700 35%

Salary Trends for Media Planning & Strategy Manager

Salaries for a Media Planning & Strategy Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary increased from $114,851 in 2023 to around $115,403 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Media Planning & Strategy Manager salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Media Planning & Strategy Manager Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$114,851
2024
$115,896
2025
$115,403
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $114,851
2024 $115,896
2025 $115,403
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Media Planning & Strategy Manager

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Media Planning & Strategy Manager

Here are companies hiring for Media Planning & Strategy Manager and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Media Planning & Strategy Manager Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Media Planning & Strategy Manager job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Payments Engineering. About the Company. Globally-recognized provider of corporate payment solutions. Industry. Financial Services. Type. P... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Senior Vice President of Project Delivery. About the Company. A multi-billion-dollar construction organization with collaborative, servant-minded leadershi... more

    21 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Chief of Staff. About the Company. Innovative travel platform for booking & managing work trips. Industry. Computer Software. Type. Privately Held, VC-back... more

    21 Days Ago

  • McDonalds

    Columbus, OH

    McDonalds | Columbus, OH

    McDonald’s is seeking Crew Team Members to assist with daily restaurant operations including customer service, food preparation, and maintaining restaurant... more

    28 Days Ago

  • Amazon Flex

    Columbus, OH

    Amazon Flex | Columbus, OH

    Amazon Flex Delivery Drivers use their own vehicle to deliver Amazon packages to customers on scheduled delivery blocks. Drivers are responsible for pickin... more

    28 Days Ago

  • Confidential

    Columbus, OH

    Confidential | Columbus, OH

    Vice President, Commercial. About the Company. Globally-recognized manufacturer of packaging components & delivery systems for injectable drugs. Industry. ... more

    1 Month Ago

For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Media Planning & Strategy Manager

1. What industry pays the highest salary for Media Planning & Strategy Manager?

The Pharmaceuticals industry offers the highest average compensation for Media Planning & Strategy Manager roles, with salaries approximately 28% above the market median.

2. Who is a media strategist?

A media strategist is responsible for leveraging media channels to effectively promote a brand, product, or service. This role can be performed in-house for a company, for external clients in an agency, or as a freelancer. Salaries for this position typically range from $115,442 to $154,835, with a median salary of $133,261.

3. Do media planners get paid well?

Media Planning & Strategy Managers are compensated well, with salaries ranging from $115,442 to $154,835 annually. The midpoint salary is approximately $133,261, reflecting the value of their expertise in the industry. This indicates a strong earning potential compared to average salaries in related roles.

4. What does a media planner strategist do?

Media planners help brands find their voice, cultivate brand awareness, and inspire consumer loyalty. They engage in market research, campaign implementation, and post-campaign assessment. The salary for a Media Planning & Strategy Manager ranges from $115,442 to $154,835, with a median salary of $133,261, reflecting the expertise and impact of their role in brand strategy.

5. What does a strategy manager do?

A Strategy Manager plans and oversees strategic initiatives within a business. Their key responsibilities include developing long-term strategies for growth and revenue, identifying weaknesses or opportunities in current strategies, and analyzing internal processes and market trends. The salary for this role typically ranges from $115,442 to $154,835, with a midpoint of $133,261.

6. What is a media strategy manager?

A Media Strategy Manager is responsible for creating data-driven media strategies that leverage audience insights, channel effectiveness, and market trends to enhance business outcomes. This role typically offers a salary range from $115,442 to $154,835, with a midpoint of $133,261, reflecting the expertise required to drive innovation in public affairs marketing.

7. What is media planning and strategy?

Media planning and strategy is a crucial process for marketers to identify the most effective ways to communicate messages to target audiences. It involves analyzing various factors such as audience demographics, channels, platforms, and messaging to optimize advertising efforts. For a Media Planning & Strategy Manager, salaries range from $115,442 to $154,835, with a midpoint of $133,261.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job