The brand manager deals with the brand’s well-being – its promotion, positioning, and strengthening of the potential consumers’ image. He works with communication channels, thinks through marketing campaigns, shapes the public opinion. The brand manager is a very versatile employee.
These specialists are required all over the world. With particular frequency, the query “brand manager” appears in developing regions. The list of leaders includes South Africa, Jamaica, UAE, Singapore, and Paraguay. Also, information about these specialists is actively sought in the countries of Asia and Europe, demonstrating a steady demand for the specialty.
Over the past five years, the request frequency has remained stable, periodically rising and falling, depending on seasonal demand. Paired with the “Brand manager” query, people often ask about the salary level. They are looking for a specialist in collaborations and setting up Facebook ads.
Let’s take a look at what salary a brand development specialist can apply for, what the size of his salary depends on, and where he is paid the most. The information will help determine the vector of development and assess the prospects of the profession.
Entry-level Brand Manager salary
A brand manager is considered a beginner in the absence of a minimum year of experience. Traditionally, such specialists receive low salaries. In the United States, the average basic salary for an aspiring brand manager is $38,000 per year, but this varies from company to company.
The amount corresponds to $20 per hour, and a newcomer earns about $800 per week and about 3500 per month. We analyzed the vacancies of employers and highlighted some options:
- Summit Retail Solutions – $27,023.
- Uber – $31,200
- Rocksteady Promotions – $55,000
- Southern Event Management – $39,000
- DMG Go – $31,000
The maximum salary found in the list of vacancies is $56,000, the minimum is set at $23,000 – the spread is quite large. These are the annual salaries offered in the United States market, with the numbers highly dependent on the employer’s location and the requirements for the employee. Also, salaries are related to market activity and business development in the region. According to statistics, above-average wages (from $50,000 per year) are offered to aspiring brand managers in the California cities of San Mateo, Berkeley, and Daly City. Also on the list of the most prosperous cities are Richmond in California, Stamford in Connecticut, and Bellevue in Washington. The average financial allowance in these cities is approximately $48,000.
Most jobs offer above the minimum hourly wages by competing with other employers. At the same time, options with $15-16 per hour are also present, although very few of them.
Associate Brand Manager salary
After gaining initial experience, the brand manager receives the prefix “junior” to the position and increases his salary. The average US salary for an associate specialist is $79,000, but much depends on the availability of certain competencies, certificates, specialized education, and other factors.
Since the popularity and scale of the company are of decisive importance, consider the average salary rates for popular employers:
- Unilever – $98,000
- Newell Rubbermaid Inc. – $69,966.
- Johnson & Johnson – $105,475.
- Mars, Inc. – $95,500.
- Hasbro Inc. – $85,000.
- Tyson Foods, Inc. – $90,000.
- Starbucks – $84,627
- Danone – $85,000
- LVMH – $90,989.
- Stonyfield Farm Inc. – $85,743.
Thus, in some companies, junior brand managers make more than $100,000 a year. Of course, provided that the employee fully complies with the requests of the management.
Associate Brand Manager salary in the USA
It is best to track the difference in pay for the same job in individual US cities. Therefore, we analyzed the salaries of junior brand managers in 10 cities in America, found the highest-paid locations, and compiled a detailed table with the necessary data.
Town | Average annual salary, $ | Hourly payment | Weekly earnings | Monthly allowance |
Camden, NJ | 126,917 | 61.02 | 2,440.80 | 10,170 |
San Francisco, CA | 118,752 | 57.09 | 2,283,60 | 9,515 |
Richmond, VA | 112,333 | 54.01 | 2,160.40 | 9,001.67 |
Minneapolis, MN | 112,327 | 54 | 2,160 | 9,000 |
New York, NY | 112,276 | 53.98 | 2,159.20 | 8,996.67 |
Pittsburgh, PA | 99,337 | 47.76 | 1,910.40 | 7,960 |
Chicago, IL | 98,492 | 47.35 | 1,894 | 7,891.67 |
Milford, CT | 97,819 | 47.03 | 1,881.20 | 7,838.33 |
El Paso, TX | 92,940 | 44.68 | 1,787.20 | 7,446.67 |
Greensboro, NC | 92,595 | 44.52 | 1,780.80 | 7,420 |
Mid-level Brand Manager salary
The middle level is assigned to experienced professionals who have proved their competitiveness in the labor market, have acquired sufficient experience and all of the necessary competencies. On average, in the United States, this specialist earns $104,443 per year. Much depends on the position of the person in the company, the geographic location, and the scale of the company as a whole.
We analyzed data from leading companies and found a wide variation between salaries. Sometimes the leading figures exceed the minimum ones by 1.5-2 times. Our salary sample looks like this:
- CDW – $68,971.
- 72andSunny – $75,128.
- Anheuser-Busch – $127,456.
- The Coca-Cola Company – $124,008.
- Henkel – $123,002.
- Coty – $101,545.
- Tyson Foods – $140,000
- Nike – $110,912.
- Amazon – $89,050.
- Dell Technologies – $137,190.
The spread is explained by the fact that companies often do not share the positions of trainee – junior and middle brand managers. But in general, many firms offer more than $100,000 per year, which is a good indicator in the US labor market. A particularly good salary is offered if you have at least 3 years of experience. Such an employee will find a job faster and receive an improved social package.
Mid-level Brand Manager salary in the USA
In each city, specialists’ salaries differ – depending on the economic situation, workers’ competition, and the demand for the profession. Therefore, we analyzed the most well-paid cities for mid-level brand managers and compiled a list of the 10 most profitable locations for employment.
Town | Average annual salary, $ | Hourly payment | Weekly earnings | Monthly allowance |
Clifton, NJ | 123,600 | 59.42 | 2,376.80 | 9,903.33 |
White Plains, NY | 123,144 | 59.2 | 2,368 | 9,866.67 |
Stamford, CT | 121,532 | 58.43 | 2,337.2 | 9,738.33 |
Horsham, PA | 107,398 | 51.63 | 2,065.2 | 8,605 |
Burlington, VT | 106,512 | 51.21 | 2,048.4 | 8,535 |
Napa, CA | 102,135 | 49.10 | 1,964 | 8,183.33 |
Rockville, MD | 101,770 | 48.93 | 1,957.2 | 8,155 |
Washington, DC | 93,470 | 44.94 | 1,797.6 | 7,490 |
San Antonio, TX | 92,946 | 44.69 | 1,787.6 | 7,448.33 |
Seattle, WA | 90,801 | 43.65 | 1,746 | 7,275 |
Senior Brand Manager salary
Senior status is the highest level of brand manager development, which provides average earnings in the United States of $147,000. This title speaks of good work experience, the presence of real cases of working with the brand, impeccable knowledge, and a high professional level.
Most often, a senior brand manager has additional skills that improve their quality of work. These professionals can count on special conditions from the employer. Companies are willing to hire brand managers in this category and offer good salaries:
- Henkel – $185,765.
- Reynolds Consumer Products – $184,188
- Kimberly-Clark – $166,504.
- Conagra Brands – $162,162.
- Kraft Heinz Company – $172,510.
- Unilever – $161,726.
- Colgate-Palmolive – $152,633
- Bayer – $165,257.
- Nestle Purina US – $150,576.
- PepsiCo – $142,270.
Annual salaries in other companies are rarely below the $110,000 mark because these types of specialists are rare and require appropriate compensation.
Senior Brand Manager salary
As in other cases, the amount of remuneration for a brand manager of the highest category is geographically dependent. Traditionally, such skilled professionals are required in large communities, where large companies are located. But there are exceptions – you will see them in the table below.
Town | Average annual salary, $ | Hourly payment | Weekly earnings | Monthly allowance |
Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | 159,315 | 76.59 | 3,063.6 | 12,765 |
New York, NY | 148,048 | 71.18 | 2,847.2 | 11,863.33 |
Seattle, WA | 145,526 | 69.96 | 2,798.4 | 11,660 |
Richmond, VA | 144,521 | 69.48 | 2,779.2 | 11,580 |
Napa, CA | 130,002 | 62.5 | 2,500 | 10,416.67 |
Horsham, PA | 123,915 | 59.57 | 2,382.8 | 9,928.33 |
Minneapolis, MN | 120,009 | 57.7 | 2,308 | 9,616.67 |
San Antonio, TX | 114,202 | 54.9 | 2,196 | 9,150 |
Cleveland, OH | 113,730 | 54.68 | 2,187.2 | 9,113.33 |
Neenah, WI | 113,716 | 54.67 | 2,186.8 | 9,111.67 |
Conclusion
The brand manager develops the brand and is the engine of the company’s progress. The brand manager should make consumers love the brand or, at the very least, pay attention to it. Newcomers to this profession earn a maximum of $56,000 per year – and this is taking into account the fact that this specialty can be employed as an intern. This allows them to improve their skills and to gain new knowledge for further work. Experienced brand managers can expect an average salary of $147,000 per year, and some companies are willing to pay them about $160-170 thousand. This higher position does require an appropriate level of knowledge and rich experience, though. It is, after all, they who will help resolve any issues related to the growth of the brand.