Content Strategist Salary Guide

Content strategists create and implement content marketing strategies that help businesses meet stated goals and needs. In this career, you will most likely work with a team of writers, project managers, and editors to create content the intended audience can engage with in a valuable way. This job, along with others in media and communications, is a growing field. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts more than 100,000 job openings on average each year for media and communications specialists between 2023 and 2033 [1].

Explore the job responsibilities, educational requirements, salary outlook, and more about working as a content strategist.

What does a content strategist do?

A content strategist is a mid- or senior-level professional responsible for developing a marketing strategy that uses content to help a business meet its goals. They work with other creators to create content like blog posts or email campaigns and then monitor content performance to ensure it reaches the right audience.

A content strategist’s day might include creating style guides, developing content migration plans, optimizing content with search engine optimization (SEO), and creating editorial calendars. In this role, another significant task you’ll undertake is monitoring content performance, adjusting strategies as needed, and editing content to better engage with the audience based on the results. 

Content strategists can be employed by for-profit businesses, public sector agencies and non-profit organizations.

How much does a content strategist make?

According to various job listing sites, as of January 2025, the average pay range for a content strategist varies significantly, and the base salary ranges given by five different organizations are as follows [2, 3, 4, 5, 6]:

A content strategist can earn additional income on top of a base salary. This extra income can include bonuses, profit sharing, or commission, however it depends on the position. 

Factors that impact salary

Different factors, including location, experience, and industry, can impact your pay. Explore these factors below and how they could affect your salary as a content strategist.

Experience

Because a content strategist role is a mid-level to senior-level position, you’ll generally need several years of experience in the digital marketing field. Web writer, content editor, and digital content manager roles are all good ways to get the experience necessary to advance into a content strategist position. 

What can you expect for a content strategist's salary from entry-level jobs to late career positions? This table shows the average total salary based on years of experience as a content strategist, according to Glassdoor [2].

Industry

Content strategists work in various industries, including those that use customer-facing content to reach their audience. For-profit businesses, non-profit organizations, and public-sector agencies can all employ content strategists for their marketing efforts.

According to Zippia, the top five highest-paying industries to work in as a content strategist are [3]:

1. Technology: $108,505

2. Start-up: $107,247

3. Finance: $101,488

4. Hospitality: $88,608

5. Media: $82,910

Location

The location of a content strategist role can significantly affect the salary. According to Zippia, the five highest average salaries in US cities are as follows [3].

1. San Francisco, CA: $123,928

2. Seattle, WA: $110,252

3. Hartford, CT: $105,889

4. Columbus, OH: $101,004

5. Portland, ME: $93,326

Education

Education can also affect your average salary as a content strategist. According to Zippia, almost 79 percent of content strategists have at least a bachelor’s degree [7]. Getting your bachelor’s degree in marketing or communications may help give you the background and skills you need to succeed. 

The following is the breakdown for the average content strategist salary depending on education level according to Zippia [7]:

• Some college or associate degree: $90,730

• Bachelor’s degree: $95,601

• Master’s degree: $101,596

Career path and job-related titles

As more businesses rely on digital marketing to successfully reach their audiences, content strategists will continue to be valuable marketing team members. Once they've gained experience, content strategists can typically expect to grow into other leadership, marketing, or communication roles. For example, a content strategist can move into a communications manager role, eventually culminating in a position such as director of communications or content director.

Read more: Marketing Careers: 6 Areas to Explore

Highest-paying companies for content strategists

The highest-paying companies for content strategists are generally in the technology, media, and financial arenas. These companies include [2]:

• Meta: $198,000 median annual salary

• Google: $219,000 median annual

• AT&T: $138,000 median annual

• IBM: $143,000 median annual

• Robinhood: $157,000 median annual

How to become a content strategist

To start as a content strategist, you’ll want to ensure you have a strong background in marketing, communications, social media, or even project management. To gain an advantage over other job competitors, consider getting a bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, marketing, or communications. You’ll also need a solid grasp of user outreach, SEO, advertising, and some IT experience.

Content strategists typically plan and develop the marketing strategy for a business to help the organization achieve its goals. Since they tend to work with the technical and business departments of the organization, you might want to highlight similar work experiences. A portfolio that showcases your past marketing work is a great way to display your skills to a potential employer.

Project management skills such as keeping content calendars and adhering to deadlines are key in a content strategist role because they must prepare material for future releases. 

Next steps in marketing on Coursera

A content strategist is an essential role for a marketing or creative team. Content strategists seek to boost their organization’s visibility, SEO performance, or reputation. A professional in this role helps develop and roll out a content strategy.

Prepare for a career as a content strategist with courses designed to help you discover more about the role. On Coursera, you can uncover more details about the career of a content strategist with Northwestern’s Content Strategy for Professionals Specialization, which examines content management, how to maximize content impact, and more. Or, start with the Adobe Content Creator Professional Certificate, which can help you produce a diverse digital content portfolio.