Outdoor Advertising — Average Employee Salary

The average employee in the outdoor advertising industry earns $81,795 per year ($39.32/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.

$81,795
Avg Annual Pay
30,689
Total Employees
3,059
Total Establishments
10
Avg Employees/Business

What Do Outdoor Advertising Workers Earn?

At $81,795/year (equivalent to $39.32/hour for a full-time worker), outdoor advertising 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 outdoor advertising business employs 10 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.

Wages as a Percentage of Revenue

59.2%

For the average outdoor advertising business generating $1.4M/year with 10 employees at $81,795 each, total payroll represents roughly 59.2% of revenue. This is a labor-intensive industry — payroll is the dominant expense.

What This Means for Business Owners

If you're starting or running a outdoor advertisingbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:

  • Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $106,334/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
  • Typical team size: 10 employees = ~$817,950/year in base payroll.
  • Hourly equivalent: $39.32/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
  • Revenue needed: With average revenue of $1.4M/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 Outdoor Advertising revenue benchmarks →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do outdoor advertising employees make?
The average outdoor advertising employee earns $81,795 per year, which is equivalent to $39.32/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 outdoor advertising industry?
The outdoor advertising industry employs 30,689 workers across 3,059 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 10 employees.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).