Advertising Sales Agent salary in the U.S.
Advertising Sales Agents in the U.S. earn a median of $64,820 a year ($31.16 an hour), based on BLS data for 91,700 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $146,010 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $80,670, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for advertising sales agents in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| 25th percentile | $47,020 | $22.61 |
| Median | $64,820 | $31.16 |
| 75th percentile | $99,990 | $48.07 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $146,010 | $70.20 |
| Average (mean) | $80,670 | $38.79 |
Half of advertising sales agents earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,401.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,700.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,493.08 |
| Weekly | $1,246.54 |
| Hourly | $31.16 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Advertising Sales Agent salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $101,320 | 3,510 |
| New York | $98,360 | 13,570 |
| Massachusetts | $80,500 | 1,480 |
| California | $80,360 | 9,620 |
| District of Columbia | $75,030 | 320 |
| Utah | $74,260 | 1,110 |
| Colorado | $73,420 | 1,110 |
| New Jersey | $69,620 | 2,110 |
| South Carolina | $68,200 | 1,770 |
| Illinois | $66,290 | 3,790 |
| Michigan | $64,800 | 2,040 |
| Wisconsin | $63,270 | 1,290 |
| Nebraska | $62,890 | 1,190 |
| Oregon | $62,810 | 960 |
| Minnesota | $62,660 | 1,750 |
| Arizona | $62,050 | 1,160 |
| Connecticut | $61,820 | 740 |
| Missouri | $61,440 | 1,640 |
| Hawaii | $61,290 | 310 |
| Texas | $60,280 | 6,230 |
| South Dakota | $60,190 | 390 |
| Maryland | $59,830 | 880 |
| Vermont | $58,750 | 160 |
| Iowa | $58,480 | 900 |
| Florida | $58,420 | 6,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,350 | 4,260 |
| Georgia | $58,140 | 3,150 |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 | 700 |
| Indiana | $57,030 | 1,410 |
| New Hampshire | $54,870 | 290 |
| Idaho | $53,460 | 220 |
| Delaware | $52,480 | 140 |
| Kentucky | $51,580 | 620 |
| Alabama | $50,870 | 910 |
| Ohio | $50,410 | 3,220 |
| North Dakota | $50,110 | 260 |
| Arkansas | $49,120 | 900 |
| Louisiana | $48,810 | 860 |
| Maine | $48,780 | 400 |
| Kansas | $48,660 | 920 |
| Rhode Island | $48,040 | 340 |
| Wyoming | $47,290 | 150 |
| Mississippi | $46,810 | 490 |
| Montana | $46,040 | 240 |
| New Mexico | $45,620 | 300 |
| West Virginia | $44,700 | 290 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,160 | 520 |
| Alaska | $43,840 | 230 |
| Tennessee | $40,910 | 1,820 |
Best-paying metro areas for advertising sales agents
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $113,250 | 380 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $105,320 | 2,770 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $99,010 | 13,210 |
| Richmond, VA | $95,680 | 330 |
| Tulsa, OK | $89,820 | 260 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $84,540 | 620 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $84,390 | 1,340 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $83,470 | 1,100 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $81,750 | 710 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $80,410 | 520 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $80,410 | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $80,360 | 5,230 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $78,990 | 70 |
| New Haven, CT | $76,830 | 70 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $76,570 | 730 |
Metro areas with the most advertising sales agents
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 13,210 | $99,010 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 5,230 | $80,360 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,830 | $75,590 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 2,770 | $105,320 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 2,390 | $61,150 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 2,200 | $62,880 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 2,050 | $61,050 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,670 | $62,930 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,340 | $84,390 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 1,190 | $71,620 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,110 | $75,060 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,100 | $83,470 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 990 | $40,910 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 970 | $67,950 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 920 | $56,930 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel | $69,990 | $33.65 |
| Securities, Commodities, and Financial Services Sales Agents | $78,660 | $37.82 |
| Insurance Sales Agent | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Travel Agent | $50,160 | $24.11 |
| Retail Salesperson | $35,410 | $17.03 |
| Cashier | $32,880 | $15.81 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | $72,080 | $34.65 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | $48,520 | $23.33 |
| Counter and Rental Clerks | $41,300 | $19.86 |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | $104,920 | $50.44 |
| Parts Salesperson | $38,630 | $18.57 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers | $87,520 | $42.08 |
| Real Estate Sales Agent | $52,830 | $25.40 |
| Sales and Related Workers, All Other | $48,280 | $23.21 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 41-3011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a advertising sales agent make in the U.S.?
The median salary for advertising sales agents in the U.S. is $64,820 a year, or $31.16 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,240 for the lowest-paid 10% to $146,010 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid advertising sales agents make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of advertising sales agents in the U.S. earn at least $146,010 a year. The top 25% earn $99,990 or more.
What is the starting pay for advertising sales agents in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,240 a year, and a quarter of advertising sales agents earn $47,020 or less.
How many advertising sales agents work in the U.S.?
About 91,700 advertising sales agents are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.