Advertising Agencies — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the advertising agencies industry earns $122,559 per year ($58.92/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Advertising Agencies Workers Earn?
At $122,559/year (equivalent to $58.92/hour for a full-time worker), advertising agencies wages are significantly above the national average of ~$65,000.
Higher wages in this industry typically reflect specialized skills, professional certifications, or technical expertise required for the work. Employers competing for talent in this space face elevated labor costs.
The typical advertising agencies business employs 6 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average advertising agencies business generating $2.8M/year with 6 employees at $122,559 each, total payroll represents roughly 26.1% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a advertising agenciesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $159,327/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 6 employees = ~$735,354/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $58.92/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $2.8M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Advertising Agencies revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do advertising agencies employees make?
- The average advertising agencies employee earns $122,559 per year, which is equivalent to $58.92/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is above the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the advertising agencies industry?
- The advertising agencies industry employs 222,750 workers across 37,522 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 6 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).