Advertising Account Executive Average Salary & Hourly Rate in 2025
Advertising account executives are responsible for helping advertising agencies coordinate with their clients and oversee advertising campaigns from the ground up. As of September 23, 2025, the average salary for an advertising account executive in the United States is $77,700 per year.
The salary of an advertising account executive may vary depending on key factors such as education level, experience, geographic location, skills, and demand.
In the following sections, this guide will provide an overview of advertising account executive compensation and a detailed outline of their job responsibilities, job outlook, and career trends for the coming years.
An Overview of Advertising Account Executive Salaries
The average salary for an advertising account executive in 2025 is $77,700 per year. The salary of Advertising Account Executives usually ranges between $65,855 to $91,646, with the majority earning $71,500 to $85,000 per year.
| Percentile | Average annual salary |
|---|---|
| 10% Percentile | $65,855 |
| 25% Percentile | $71,500 |
| 50% Percentile (Median) | $77,700 |
| 75% Percentile | $85,000 |
| 90% Percentile | $91,646 |
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) also reports that salaries for advertising account executives may vary depending on their industry. For instance, advertising account executives working for Management of companies and enterprises can earn up to $169,840, meanwhile advertising account executives working for wholesale trade can only earn $158,120.
- Management of companies and enterprises: $169,840
- Manufacturing: $168,210
- Finance and insurance: $167,610
- Professional, scientific, and technical services: $165,080
- Wholesale trade: $158,120
Advertising Account Executive Salary: Hourly, Weekly, Monthly, and Yearly Breakdown
The average advertising account executive salary can be broken down into hourly, weekly, monthly, and yearly amounts. According to Salary.com, the average salary for advertising account executives in the United States is $37 per hour or $6,475 per month.
- Average salary per hour: $37
- Average salary per week: $1,494
- Average salary per month: $6,475
- Average salary per year: $77,700
As previously noted, advertising account executives in the United States will find that their salary may vary due to key factors such as geographic location, years of experience, and education. These factors will be explored in detail below.
How Experience Impacts Advertising Account Executive Salaries
Aside from their educational background, certifications, and accreditations, their level of experience also plays a vital role in increasing the salary for advertising account executives. As shown in the list below, there are notable salary differences across various experience levels of advertising account executives in the United States.
Based on the Salary.com data, the difference between an entry-level advertising account executives' compensation and an expert-level Advertising Account Executive's salary is almost $5,849. This also shows a sizeable gap between the salaries of an intermediate-level advertising account executive, and a senior-level advertising account executive's pay is $75,664 and $77,052, respectively.
- Entry Level Advertising Account Executive: $75,664
- Intermediate Level Advertising Account Executive: $75,849
- Senior Level Advertising Account Executive: $77,052
- Specialist Level Advertising Account Executive: $79,879
- Expert Level Advertising Account Executive: $81,513
State-by-State Breakdown of Average Salaries for Advertising Account Executive
It can also be noted that each US state has different average salaries for Advertising Account Executives due to several factors such as cost of living, industry performance, and demand.
Based on the Salary.com data, the District of Columbia offers the highest average annual salary for Advertising Account Executives in the United States at $86,000. The next ones are California and Massachusetts with $85,700 and $84,500 per year, respectively.
| State | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $84,100 |
| Alabama | $71,400 |
| Arkansas | $70,200 |
| Arizona | $75,700 |
| California | $85,700 |
| Colorado | $79,200 |
| Connecticut | $83,000 |
| District of Columbia | $86,000 |
| Delaware | $78,700 |
| Florida | $73,500 |
| Georgia | $74,900 |
| Hawaii | $81,200 |
| Iowa | $74,300 |
| Idaho | $72,500 |
| Illinois | $79,200 |
| Indiana | $74,600 |
| Kansas | $74,000 |
| Kentucky | $73,100 |
| Louisiana | $73,900 |
| Massachusetts | $84,500 |
| Maryland | $80,100 |
| Maine | $75,700 |
| Michigan | $76,500 |
| Minnesota | $79,500 |
| Missouri | $73,800 |
| Mississippi | $69,300 |
| Montana | $73,300 |
| North Carolina | $73,800 |
| North Dakota | $76,700 |
| Nebraska | $73,200 |
| New Hampshire | $78,500 |
| New Jersey | $84,200 |
| New Mexico | $71,900 |
| Nevada | $76,900 |
| New York | $82,600 |
| Ohio | $75,600 |
| Oklahoma | $71,800 |
| Oregon | $78,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,300 |
| Rhode Island | $80,500 |
| South Carolina | $72,800 |
| South Dakota | $70,600 |
| Tennessee | $72,600 |
| Texas | $75,800 |
| Utah | $74,400 |
| Virginia | $78,200 |
| Vermont | $76,200 |
| Washington | $84,200 |
| Wisconsin | $76,400 |
| West Virginia | $69,900 |
| Wyoming | $74,500 |
Advertising Account Executive Salaries: Top Earning Cities Revealed
Salary.com labor statistics reveals that the top three highest paying cities that provides higher Advertising Account Executive salary in the United States are San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland, all in the state of California.
| Top Paying Cities | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $98,000 |
| San Francisco, CA | $97,000 |
| Oakland, CA | $94,800 |
| New York, NY | $90,000 |
| Queens Village, NY | $89,400 |
| Paramus, NJ | $88,800 |
Explore Advertising Account Executive Benefits and Perks Beyond Salary
In addition to their pay, Advertising Account Executives receive a range of benefits and rewards. According to data from Salary.com, the total compensation for Advertising Account Executives includes benefits such as Social Security and 401(k)/403(b) plans. perform tasks
- Social Security
- 401K/403B plans
- Disability insurance
- Healthcare
- Pension plan
- Time Off (PTO)
Advertising Account Executive Job Description: Roles and Responsibilities
Advertising Account Executives are mainly responsible for helping advertising agencies by cooperating with clients to make sure that all deliverables are on time. Additionally, they're also tasked with presenting the company's pitch to the clients.
The job description for an Advertising Account Executive is as follows:
- Work with clients and staff to make sure that budgets, contracts, and timelines all work are feasible for both parties.
- Ensure that the advertising agency follows the creative direction that the clients want.
- Plan all promotional campaigns and strategies to help their clients sell more of their products.
- Record, track, and report the campaign's metrics and help advertising agencies ensure that their strategy is successful.
- Deliver clear feedback to the advertising agency about their campaign's, performance and success.
When and How to Ask for a Raise as a Advertising Account Executive?
The job of an Advertising Account Executive usually requires an individual to have a degree in communication or any other related field. However, it's important to note that some companies may hire Advertising Account Executives as long as they have a solid background in communication.
That said, you can still boost your credibility through upskilling and learning some valuable skills for a higher Advertising Account Executive salary. Here is a step-by-step guide to follow to ask for a higher Advertising Account Executive salary:
- Finish the needed program: As mentioned above, most Advertising Account Executives need to have a degree in communication or any other related field. Thus, it's important for those interested in the role to acquire the degree to help them negotiate a higher salary.
- Acquire the needed skills: Acquiring skills like solution selling and sales process knowledge can help Advertising Account Executives negotiate higher salaries moving forward.
- Ask for a formal meeting: Prepare a meeting with your managers and employers beforehand to set a more formal and serious tone for the conversation.
- Make a clear and confident presentation: Discuss what you bring in the healthcare setting and make sure to highlight milestones you've achieved during your tenure as a Advertising Account Executive. Be clear about your intentions and maintain a positive mindset.
Why Does a Advertising Account Executive Make So Much?
The average Advertising Account Executive pay is good since the demand is relatively high for the role, and Advertising Account Executives usually do plenty when it comes to double checking whether or not the company's advertisement campaign runs seamlessly.
This means that being an Advertising Account Executive requires great analytical skills on top of stellar communication skills to help software developers. The U.S. BLS has outlined these specific skills that an Advertising Account Executive should ideally have:
- Analytical skills
- Communication skills
- Creativity
- Detail-oriented
- Problem-solving skills
However, Salary.com's Real-Time Job Posting Salary Data Solution has also pointed out that Advertising Account Executives with certain skills can earn more money. Candidates with solution selling and sales process knowledge can earn 14.24% and 613.26% can negotiate a higher Advertising Account Executive salary and ensure competitive pay.
Other high compensation skills include the following:
- Solution Selling: +14.24%
- Sales Process: +13.26%
- Sales Planning: +12.14%
- Knowledge of Customers: +12.10%
- Lead Generation: +11.71%
- Forecasting: +11.64%
The Future of Advertising Account Executive: Job Outlook and Career Trends
Based on reports from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the job trend for Advertising Account Executive stands at a positive 6% for the years of 2023 to 2033. This is mainly because most businesses are shifting to digital advertisements, and most companies are looking for a good advertisement agency to run their campaign.
