How much does a social media manager make?

That’s a fair question, considering it’s a popular job among people who want to get into digital marketing. The quick answer is it’s competitive, both in Canada and the US. So what exactly do social media managers do that merits this compensation, and what skills affect their base pay?

This post breaks down the average salary of social media managers in Canada and the US. Other jobs in social media, from entry-level work to executive titles, are also covered. And at the end of the post, you’ll find useful tips on how and where to find social media jobs, even if you have zero working experience.

Acadium Apprenticeships

Social media management & marketing experience

Gain basic social media skills and work experience under the guidance of a mentor for 3 months. Start from zero experience to a certificate in social media marketing for free.

Get Started

Social media manager roles are often considered mid-level openings. But in practice, quite a number of businesses are willing to hire fresh graduates or candidates with no previous experience to manage their social presence. Take a look at how these pros are compensated in Canada and the US.

How much does a social media manager make?

What do social media managers do?

…But first, we need to figure out what it is that social media managers do.

To put it briefly, a social media manager manages a brand’s presence on social media—and beyond. Social media managers are usually expected to:

  1. Support the development of a brand’s online identity
  2. Create or re-purpose content for social media posts
  3. Schedule posts on social platforms participated in by a brand
  4. Curate content calendar for important events
  5. Coordinate with social media and marketing team to create relevant campaigns
  6. Reach out to influencers related to the brand’s industry for influencer or affiliate marketing opportunities
  7. Interact with the audience to address concerns or questions
  8. Monitor and set key metric targets across platforms and posts
  9. Learn audience pain points and interests
  10. Use audience data to create conversion strategies
  11. Analyze competitor strategies
  12. Keep track of social media trends to adjust content and conversion strategy
  13. Report a social platform’s performance to key stakeholders
  14. Suggest changes or improvements to the brand’s overall marketing strategy

A social media manager’s career path is non-linear. While some opt for more senior positions, others hop over full-time to social media marketing. In contrast, a few social media managers leave their companies to start a social media management or social media marketing agency.

What is the average salary for a social media manager?

Canada

[wptb id=11300]

Data in this table comes from 239 salaries submitted to Talent, 443 salaries submitted to Payscale, 360 salaries submitted to Indeed, and 154 salaries submitted to Glassdoor.

United States

[wptb id=11299]

Data in this table comes from anonymous responses on Built In, 2,891 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 3,452 salaries submitted to Payscale, >1,800 salaries submitted to Indeed, and ADP employee payroll data on ZipRecruiter.

Also read: 2022 Average digital marketing salaries in Canada and the US

Average salaries in other social media jobs

1) Social media coordinator

Canada

[wptb id=11304]

Data in this table comes from 116 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 235 salaries submitted to Payscale, and 328 salaries submitted to Indeed.

United States

[wptb id=11305]

Data in this table comes from 1,275 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 1,281 salaries submitted to Payscale, and >1,800 salaries submitted to Indeed.

2) Community manager

Canada

[wptb id=11307]

Data in this table comes from 280 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 57 salaries submitted to Indeed, and 83 salaries submitted to Payscale.

United States

[wptb id=11306]

Data in this table comes from anonymous responses on Built In, 361 salaries submitted to Payscale, and 7,236 salaries submitted to Glassdoor.

3) Social media marketing manager

Canada

[wptb id=11309]

Data in this table comes from 259 salaries submitted to Glassdoor and 76 salaries submitted to Payscale.

United States

[wptb id=11310]

Data in this table comes from 17 salaries submitted to Glassdoor and 696 salaries submitted to Payscale.

4) Social media strategist

Canada

[wptb id=11311]

Data in this table comes from 29 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 34 salaries submitted to Indeed, and 55 salaries submitted to Payscale.

United States

[wptb id=11312]

Data in this table comes from anonymous responses on Salary, employee payroll data from ADP on ZipRecruiter, and anonymous data on Comparably.

5) Social media assistant

Canada

[wptb id=11315]

Data in this table comes from survey data gathered by Salary Expert, 76 salaries submitted to Talent, and 272 salaries submitted to Glassdoor.

United States

[wptb id=11316]

Data in this table comes from publicly available sources gathered by Zippia, employee payroll data from ADP on ZipRecruiter, and 1,635 salaries submitted to Talent.

6) Content manager

Canada

[wptb id=11313]

Data in this table comes from 12 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 175 salaries submitted to Payscale, and 72 salaries submitted to Indeed.

United States

[wptb id=11314]

Data in this table comes from anonymous responses on Built In, anonymous data from Comparably, and employee payroll data from ADP for ZipRecruiter.

Salaries of high-ranking social media positions

1) Social media director

Canada

[wptb id=11317]

Data in this table comes from 32 salaries submitted to Talent, 22 salaries submitted to Payscale, and anonymous responses on Salary.

United States

[wptb id=11318]

Data in this table comes from anonymous data on Comparably, publicly available sources gathered by Zippia, and anonymous responses on Salary.

2) Digital marketing director

Canada

[wptb id=11319]

Data in this table comes from 43 salaries submitted to Payscale and 29 salaries submitted to Talent.

United States

[wptb id=11320]

Data in this table comes from employee payroll data from ADP for ZipRecruiter and anonymous responses on Salary.

3) Chief marketing officer

Canada

[wptb id=11321]

Data in this table comes from 20 salaries submitted to Glassdoor, 97 salaries submitted to Payscale, and 5 salaries submitted to Indeed.

United States

[wptb id=11322]

Data in this table comes from anonymous responses on Built In, anonymous responses on Salary, and 1,359 salaries submitted to Payscale.

Skills that affect the salary of a social media manager

As you may have guessed, social media managers and other pros in the industry have a diverse set of skills. We broke down the most common skills social media professionals have into three categories, to give you an idea of what can help you in this field:

Technical skills

  1. Social media content strategy
  2. Brand positioning
  3. SEO research
  4. Content creation (e.g., copywriting, graphic design, video editing, etc.)
  5. Community management
  6. Wordsmithing key messages & PR angles
  7. Conversion and engagement strategy
  8. Researching social media platform algorithm changes
  9. Competitor research
  10. Use of social media tools (e.g., social listening tools, publishing tools, etc.)

Marketing skills

  1. Social media marketing
  2. Content marketing
  3. Affiliate marketing
  4. Influencer marketing
  5. Digital marketing

Soft skills

  1. Communication (e.g., empathy, public speaking, networking, customer service skills, etc.)
  2. Project & campaign management
  3. Creativity
  4. Budget management
  5. Awareness of current events & trends
  6. Time management
  7. Data analysis, community & platform analytics

How to become a social media manager

Finding entry level social media jobs

It’s generally advised to prepare before looking for a job. However, looking through job adverts can help you get an idea of what you need to prepare. For instance, notices for entry-level social media jobs and entry-level marketing jobs list the requirements and skills candidates must have. They also list each role’s primary responsibilities, which helps you personalize your cover letter and CV.

Prepare for the interview

Once you have your sights set on a job, you need to prepare three things before you apply for it. Namely, your:

1) Cover letter
2) CV
3) Portfolio

Entry-level social media cover letters pique the interest of recruiters, even with zero experience in social media. Highlight experiences that match an employer’s ideal. Any volunteer experience, part-time job, major group projects, or similar experiences that clearly demonstrate your competencies are your best bet.

A good cover letter will compel employers to read your CV and social media portfolio. A CV is a quick list of the skills and services you offer, as well as a more comprehensive list of your achievements, internships, and school experience. Your portfolio, meanwhile, should show your problem-solving process, and the positive results from

Your next step, once a potential employer calls, is to nail your interview. Social media interview questions test your knowledge of social media, lead generating strategies, and technical skills. Recruiters also ask general HR questions to assess behavioral tendencies, so they can get a feel for how you’ll fit in their company.

But what if you’re still in school, or not ready to make the jump to working? What if you want more experience before you dive into a job hunt? You have options to get you ready for a career in social media.

Remote marketing internships (or apprenticeships) for experience

With summer just around the corner, a remote marketing internship is a great way to kickstart your social media career. You’ll experience a work environment typical for the career you’re pursuing, and discover how your target role works. However, there’s another way to gain work experience tailored to your interests.

An apprenticeship allows you to experience the day-to-day of entry-level social media jobs. It gives you the chance to build real-world experience, start a network, and gain testimonials, certification, and pieces you can put in your CV and portfolio.

If you’re not ready for an apprenticeship, you can still sign up, take free marketing courses, and receive free marketing tips through our weekly and monthly newsletters.