Top 5 Factors Affecting Product Marketing Manager Salary

Last updated by Divyashree on Oct 04, 2024 at 04:17 PM | Reading time: 11 minutes

Product marketing managers play a significant role in organizations by bridging product, marketing, and sales while focusing on essential areas such as messaging, go-to-market strategy, and product launches in the realm of product management. \

In this article, we will explain the various factors affecting product marketing manager salary. This role is very different from the rather more traditional PMs. The key skills of a product marketing manager will be discussed in this article. Factors that affect the Product marketing manager salary will be discussed in detail here.

What does a Product Marketing Manager do?

The product marketing manager role goes beyond digital and traditional marketing efforts: social media, email campaigns, or blogging. It's more about the art of getting your product to market and ensuring that it gets to the right audience. While storytelling forms part of the marketing process, a product marketing manager plays an important part in this process. Their job is to define and manage the positioning, messaging, and branding of the product.

But, what does a product marketing manager do? They collect and process customer feedback, besides dealing with some aspects of customer relations post-launch. They guide clients through a funnel where they are transformed from casual onlookers into strong advocates. There's this enduring myth that product marketing is all about just acquisition. The truth is, it's also about customer care through all stages of the journey since the launch of the product/service to keep the customer engaged rather than losing them to high churn rates.

There are, in fact, three crucial stages of the customer funnel for which a Product Marketing Manager has responsibilities.

Funnel representation of PMMs

Acquisition: Attracting awareness and attention to your product through social media campaigns. Oversight of how all these impact product marketing manager salary may give an approximation of the much-needed value derived financially from a successful acquisition strategy.
Engagement: The act of converting customers into your community by holding an event or creating interactive content. It also affects the product marketing manager salary, emphasizing the need for customers to be an active base.
Retention/Conversion: Ensuring customers return and buy again by developing subscription models or other recurring revenue streams. Success can drive that Product Marketing Manager salary higher as customers are the hallmark of long-term success.

Also read: Avoid These 7 Common Mistakes in Product Marketing Manager Interviews

Average Product Marketing Manager Salary in the USA

According to Glassdoor, the average Product Marketing Manager salary in the United States, as of 2024, was $168,000 per year. In comparison, other marketing roles can have salaries that range from $80,000 to $130,000. The following table shows the average base salary of PMMs in top US-based companies:

Company	Average Yearly Base Salary (in USD)
Meta	$295,261
Google	$262,500
NVIDIA	$224,348
Cisco	$224,090
Salesforce	$201,279
Microsoft	$199,667
Amazon	$206,351
IBM	$161,678
Dell	$143,215

Source: Glassdoor

Key Factors Affecting Product Marketing Manager Salary

The following are some of the key factors that affecting product marketing manager salary in the US:

Location
Level of Experience
Industry and Company Type
Education
Additional Compensation (Bonuses, Stock Options, etc.)

1. Location

Location is a critical determinant, combined with the cost of living, which shapes the Product Marketing Manager salary. How do these factors combine to influence remuneration?

Cost of Living: Product Marketing Managers working in high-cost cities like San Francisco or New York City require higher salaries to maintain a decent standard of living. For instance, in San Francisco, the product marketing manager salary will be in the range of $220,000 which is 27% more than the national average, while in cities like Portland, the product marketing manager salary is $161,000 which is 5% above the national average.

In major technology hubs, the salary tends to be higher as it also comes with the cost of living. Thus, it gives better compensation due to the extreme living costs compared to regions with a low cost of living.

Demand: The demand for Product Marketing Managers is generally higher in larger urban centers. Major cities like New York and San Francisco tend to be highly competitive in their search for professionals to fill these positions, raising salaries due to high demand. It should be noted that the cost of living is also higher in these metropolitan areas where salaries are higher.

The following table shows the average Product Marketing Manager salary for key states in the USA :

Cities in the USA	Average Salary (in US$) per years
San Francisco	$220,000
Austin	$169,000
San Jose	$203,000
Dallas	$173,000
Chicago	$174,000
Los Angeles	$168,000
Phoenix	$161,000
Denver	$171,000
New York	$199,000

Also read: Product Marketing Manager Salary Trends for 2024: Key Factors and Insights

2. Experience Level

Experience dictates the Product Marketing Manager Salary (PMM). As expected with most jobs, entry-level positions receive lower salaries compared to mid and senior levels, which reflect increased experience and specialized skills.

Builtin reports an entry-level product marketing manager salary annually in the United States would be about $84,442, generally ranging between $50,000 and $100,000. Their salaries escalate rapidly as they move into mid-level and senior positions. A senior PMM will average about $166,000, falling in the range of $135,000- $209,000 depending on experience and firm.

As an individual gains relevant skills in market research, brand positioning, competitive analysis, and cross-functional team leadership are some of the most significant salary boosters of a PMM. Deep knowledge in these areas not only demonstrates an individual's proficiency but also highlights their ability to drive product success.

So, if a PMM is experienced in the development of a wide range of marketing strategies for product lifecycles, as well as in making data-driven marketing decisions, he would get paid more than just a general marketer. The image below depicts the years of experience on the x-axis and the average salary on the y-axis.

Average product marketing manager salary by experience

Source: Builtin

Here is the breakup based on the experience level of how the salary can vary in the United States:

Experience level	Average Pay	Range
0-1 years	$141,000	$109,000 - $187,000
1-3 years	$157,000	$125,000 - $201,000
4-6 years	$166,000	$135,000 - $209,000
7-9 years	$172,000	$139,000 - $216,000
10-14 years	$181,000	$146,000 - $228,000
15+ years	$195,000	$156,000 - $247,000

Also read: 6 Must-Have Product Marketing Manager Skills in 2024

3. Industry and Company Type

Industry Type

The industry in which a PMM operates highly influences the Product Marketing Manager Salary. Industries like technology and finance usually pay better because innovation is rather fast-paced and there's high demand for strategic leadership in marketing.

For instance, the technology industry, especially in large corporations like Netflix or startups dealing with cutting-edge products, has high product marketing manager salary normally within $137,000–$213,000 annually or much higher compared to other, more traditional industries like manufacturing or retail-like at Target it is $69,000–$124,200 annually.

This, in turn, is explained by the fact that technology companies lean even more on marketing to communicate complex products and value propositions, thus needing highly skilled PMMs.

Below is a table showing how much Product Marketing Managers can earn in various industries:

Industry Type	Example Company	Salary Range
Management and Consulting	PwC	$134,000 - $206,000
IT	Apple	$202,000 - $294,000
Healthcare	GE Healthcare	$135,000 - $188,000
Finance	JP Morgan	$138,000 - $200,000
Real Estate	Compass	$153,000 - $211,000

Company size

Product Marketing Manager salaries also vary significantly based on company size. Smaller startups, with 1-10 employees, have higher salaries, and often average up to $130,000, in order to attract the best talent, but they often balance that with a less structured set of benefits.

As company size increases to mid-sized, 11-500 employees, the salary goes down some, averaging around $115,000 to $120,000 because of more standardized pay scales.

Larger companies are those with 501-1,000+ employees, and where salaries are higher, almost $130,000 or more. Since large companies have more significant resources, wider product portfolios, and complex marketing needs, they can reward their PMMs with wider resources.

Company size affecting product marketing manager salary

Source: BuiltIn

Also read: What Does a Google Product Manager Do?

4. Education

The Product Marketing Manager salary is hugely impacted by education, as it plays a significant role in career mobility and reward. Many product marketing managers hold degrees in marketing, business administration, communications, or other fields. Advanced degrees, such as an MBA or specialized marketing certifications, play a crucial role in negotiating higher salaries.

According to industry data, a Product Marketing Manager with an MBA or master's in marketing can earn a salary far over the industry standard. The amount of compensation for such expertise can easily cross $182,193.

Formal education alone is not enough; staying current with certifications like HubSpot, Google Analytics, or Product Marketing Alliance also influences a Product Marketing Manager's salary. Professional relevance and higher compensation packages can be achieved through continual learning.

5. Additional Compensation (Bonuses, Stock Options, etc.)

Product marketing manager salary can also vary considerably depending on additional compensation, such as bonuses, stock options, and other financial incentives. Most companies, especially those in the high-growth tech and finance industries, offer very attractive bonus packages that can add significantly to one's base pay.

Performance-related bonuses are fairly standard, in which Product Marketing Managers receive rewards for meeting sales targets, successful product launches, or attaining strategic milestones. Stock options or equity in a company may also add up significantly, especially in the case when a company has grown and gone public.

Overall, these types of compensation can significantly increase a Product Marketing Manager's total earnings compared to the base salary alone.

Product Management: Overview of Salary and Level

The below table shows the career path of the product marketing manager along with the relevant experience needed for the level the annual product marketing manager salary range and currently the no of jobs available in each level as of 2024 in the United States.

Position	Experience needed	Average Anuual Salary	No. of jobs available
Product Marketing Manager	2 - 4 Years	$13Kk - $218K	31,000
Lead Product Marketing Manager	5 - 7 Years	$168K - $255K	379
Senior Product Marketing Manager	2 - 4 Years (in lead role)	$175K - $271K	375
Principal Product Marketing Manager	-	$199K - $301K	31,000
Senior Manager of Product Marketing	5 - 7 Years (in principal role)	$215K - $331K	4,000
Associate Director of Product Marketing (ADP)	5 - 7 Years (in principal role)	$215K - $333K	7,000
Director of Product Marketing	8+ Years (as ADP)	$219K - $346K	6,000
Senior Director of Product Marketing	8+ Years (as ADP)	$238K - $373K	15,000
Vice President of Product Marketing	8+ Years ( as Sr. Director of Product)	$240K - $391K	634
Executive Vice President of Product Marketing	-	$245K - $423K	15,000

Source: Indeed

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FAQs: Factors Affecting Product Marketing Manager Salaries

Q1. How much do Product Marketing Managers make on average?

The average salary for a Product Marketing Manager can be in the range of $120,000 to $160,000 per year.

Q2. How can I increase my salary?

Specialized training or certification can help you increase your salary as a Product Marketing Manager.

Q3. Does a Master's degree make a difference in salary?

Yes, salaries for Product Marketing Managers can be higher when someone has a Master's degree.

Q4. What are the highest-paying industries?

Technology, Finance, and Healthcare tend to have the highest Product Marketing Manager salaries.

Q5. How does the performance of a company impact salary?

Performance-based bonuses and stock options will increase total remuneration.

Related reads:

AUTHOR

Divyashree

Product Manager

Product Marketing Manager

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Top 5 Factors Affecting Product Marketing Manager Salary

Contents

Divyashree

Attend our Free Webinar on How to Nail Your Next Technical Interview

How to Nail your next Technical Interview

Worried About Failing Tech Interviews?

Tools to Enhance Full Stack Development with AI

The Future of Data Science: Emerging Trends and Opportunities

Data-Driven Decision Making: Your Roadmap to Business Success

The Business Impact of Machine Learning: Real-world Case Studies

What is OpenAI? Everything You Need to Know

Mock Interviews for Generative AI: Essential Practice to Land Top AI Roles

Top Python Scripting Interview Questions and Answers You Should Practice

Complex SQL Interview Questions for Interview Preparation

Zoox Software Engineer Interview Questions to Crack Your Tech Interview

Rubrik Interview Questions for Software Engineers

Top Advanced SQL Interview Questions and Answers

Twilio Interview Questions

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