Salary growth for marketing and creative roles is steady but modest, projected to average 1.5% in 2026, according to the 2026 Salary Guide From Robert Half. But look closer, and some roles are pulling ahead. In Chicago, salaries for digital marketing managers and content strategists are trending above the national average, driven by strong demand from the city’s thriving agency and tech sectors. Local employers in healthcare, finance and manufacturing are also fueling demand for marketing professionals with expertise in data-driven campaigns and integrated digital strategies.
Whether you’re a professional looking to boost your pay or a hiring manager trying to stay competitive to recruit skilled talent, it pays to know which roles are generating higher compensation — and why. Robert Half’s 2026 Salary Guide highlights three key trends shaping marketing and creative compensation. Let’s expand those and explore how organizations and professionals can adapt to and benefit from these trends.
1. Leaders Are Willing to Pay More for Specialized Skills
According to research for the 2026 Salary Guide, nearly 8 in 10 marketing and creative leaders (78%) are willing to pay a premium for candidates who bring specialized expertise to the table. Skills that stand out include the ability to strategize intricate digital marketing initiatives, experience turning data into actionable insights and proficiency in AI, machine learning and marketing automation.
These capabilities go beyond technical skills and familiarity with emerging marketing tools. They require strategic thinking and decision-making. For example, while technology and AI tools can help marketing automation specialists optimize email send times, segment audiences and personalize content at scale, it can’t replace the human behind the dashboard who is interpreting the data, crafting compelling messages and ensuring campaigns align with brand voice and strategy. Chicago’s competitive marketing landscape—home to major agencies and Fortune 500 headquarters—means specialized roles like marketing analytics and UX design are commanding premium pay. Employers are increasingly offering commuter benefits and flexible schedules to attract top talent in these areas.
For marketing leaders: Offering a higher salary to job candidates with advanced skills can be an investment. These professionals can jump into projects and make an impact faster. But know that you likely won’t be the only employer they’re talking to — so keep the recruitment process streamlined and efficient.
For marketers: If you’re aiming for higher pay, specialization is key. Focus on in-demand areas and document how your skills have driven measurable impact, whether through improved campaign performance, team enablement or business growth.
2. The Rise of Digital Integrators
Scene-level targeting uses AI to break longform content into individual moments, tagging each with contextual themes and emotional tones. This allows advertisers to expand the reach of their contextual strategy to a variety of genres in one piece of content.
Modern marketing teams are navigating a maze of platforms, data streams and audience expectations. It’s no longer just about having technical experts, but having people who can bring it all together, ensuring campaigns stay cohesive and aligned. For example:
- Marketing analytics professionals who translate data into strategies that drive performance
- Digital project managers who coordinate multiple teams and keep campaigns aligned across channels
- Content strategists who design and maintain interconnected content ecosystems, ensuring consistency across platforms
Salaries are rising for these professionals. As mentioned earlier, content strategists, digital project managers and marketing analytics professionals are seeing year-over-year average salary increases of 3.3%. The 2026 Salary Guide also projects above-average increases for digital marketing roles (2.4%) and UX design and development roles (1.9%).
For marketing leaders: Make sure you have skilled professionals on your team who can strategize and deliver complex digital marketing projects, keeping campaigns focused on the customer experience.
For marketers: Building skills and familiarity of tools that span marketing disciples, as well as collaboration, can be a valuable asset in the digital marketing space.
3. Compensation Is More Than Just Salary
Salary and financial incentives are always the top consideration in a job offer, but today’s marketers and employers are taking a closer look at the total compensation package. Many marketing professionals are attracted to companies that show they care about their employees and organizational culture, which is often reflected in the benefits and perks they provide. For Chicago professionals, hybrid work remains a strong preference, and employers are responding with perks like commuter benefits and professional development stipends. Many companies also encourage networking through organizations such as Chicago AMA to help employees stay connected and grow their careers.
As 80% of leaders in this field are concerned about meeting candidate’s salary expectations, these extras can make a big difference, especially when there’s little room to flex on pay. Still, compensation flexibility matters: 66% of marketing and creative professionals say they’d consider full-time in-office roles for a pay bump.
For marketing leaders: In a climate of slower salary growth, it’s important to highlight what makes your offer stand out. Combining competitive pay and desirable benefits and perks can make your offer compelling.
For marketers: Consider the whole compensation package along with the salary. A well-rounded job offer can often deliver greater long-term value than a modest salary increase.
2026 Salary Projections for Marketing Roles
Below are starting salary midpoints for key marketing roles, as projected by the 2026 Salary Guide From Robert Half. The guide includes salary data for more than 70 marketing and creative positions, as well as hundreds more across seven professional fields. These figures represent Chicago market averages, which typically run about 25% higher than national benchmarks due to the city’s competitive hiring environment and its concentration of major agencies and corporate headquarters.
Brand manager: $120,625
Content strategist: $115,938
Copywriter: $99,063
Digital marketing specialist: $86,250
Digital project manager: $121,563
Email marketing manager: $111,250
Marketing analytics manager: $117,750
Marketing automation specialist: $103,438
Product manager: $149,063
Social media manager: $98,438
UX designer: $148,750
Staying Competitive in Chicago’s Marketing Scene
The marketing world is evolving fast, and Chicago is no exception. While overall salary growth is steady, local professionals with expertise in digital strategy, AI-driven platforms and automation tools are emerging as front-runners. For both marketing leaders and professionals, understanding the trends shaping compensation in 2026 is key to staying competitive in this dynamic market.
