AU Paid Media Salary & Career Survey

Find out what paid media really pays in Australia.

Q: Is it really anonymous?

Yes. You can complete the whole survey without telling us who you are. Salary data is only ever shown in aggregate — grouped with everyone else's — and is never tied to an individual. The optional contact step at the end is stored separately from your answers.

Q: Who runs this survey?

Wylan Ho — founder of Kindred Talent, a referral network for digital talent based in Sydney. Wylan is an active part of the Australian performance marketing community — connecting paid media specialists, in-house teams and agencies, backing industry events, and driving the conversations that move the field forward. The survey is run independently, not on behalf of any employer, so the numbers stay honest.

Q: How long does it take?

About seven minutes. Eight short sections, one screen at a time, and the form keeps your place as you move through. Most questions take a single click.

Q: When do I get the results?

Straight away, then in full. The moment you submit, the live benchmark opens right here on the page — your numbers read against the market so far. The full report follows once the survey closes — shared on LinkedIn first, then published here on the site.

Q: What happens to my data?

Responses feed a private dataset used only to build the aggregate benchmark. Nothing is sold, nothing is published at an individual level, and optional contact details are kept separate from your salary answers.

An anonymous paid media salary benchmark — add your numbers and see exactly where you stand.

~7 minutesCompletely anonymousResults shared back

By Wylan Ho · Kindred Talent

Working in SEO rather than paid media? Take the Australian SEO Salary & Career Survey instead.

Headline figures — as at 8 September 2026

The survey has just opened, so reported figures will appear here as responses land. Until then, the demand side — the 736 paid and performance roles we've tracked across the Australian market in the past 90 days:

$90k–$110k

Median advertised salary range (roles we track)

Midpoint $100,000, across the 193 listings that state an annual salary

736

Paid media roles tracked, past 90 days

Sourced across LinkedIn, SEEK and Indeed

28%

Listings that disclose pay

72% of paid media job ads publish no salary at all

55 · 28 · 17

Hybrid · in-office · remote (%)

Of the 639 listings that state a work arrangement

47 · 36 · 14

NSW · VIC · QLD share of roles (%)

Of the 671 listings with a stated state; WA, SA and ACT make up the rest

Advertised figures come from the roles we track. Reported figures from anonymous survey responses will be added as they arrive. Updated monthly.

For the broader market, see our digital marketing salary guide for Australia.

Anonymous · 8 sections · about 7 minutes

Australian Paid Media Salary & Career Survey 2026

Section 1 · About you1 of 8

Which age bracket are you in? *

How do you describe your gender? *

Where are you based? (pick the regional option if you're outside the capital city) *

What are your work rights in Australia? *

Which visa subclass do you hold? (listed by subclass number)

Section 2 · Your role2 of 8

What is your current job title? *

Which best describes your seniority level? *

Do you work agency-side or in-house? *

How many years have you worked in paid media? *

Of those years, roughly how many were agency-side? *

And roughly how many were in-house (client-side)? *

Section 5 · Compensation5 of 8

What is your current base salary (AUD, before super)? *

Do you receive bonuses or performance incentives? *

If yes, what is the approximate annual bonus value?

Does the above salary include Super, or is Super on Top? *

Section 6 · Career sentiment6 of 8

Are you currently open to new opportunities? *

How do you feel about your current salary vs. market rate? *

Any other comments about paid media compensation or career trends in 2026?(optional)

Section 8 · Keep in touch8 of 8

These details are only needed if you'd like the benchmark shared with your manager, or a confidential chat. Your survey answers above stay anonymous either way.

Would you like me to share the benchmark data with your manager?*The data stays completely anonymous — your identity is never attached.

Your manager's name

Your manager's email address

Would you like a confidential chat about where you sit in the market, or what's out there?*

Your name

Your email address

Your phone number (optional)

Your LinkedIn profile URL (optional)

← Back

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Thanks — your response is counted.

Your numbers are now part of the 2026 benchmark. Here is where you sit against everyone who has contributed so far.

Your read

—

Median base salary

—

Responses so far

—

Open to a move

—

Paid below market

Base salary by seniority

Box = the middle half of salariesLine = medianWhiskers = lowest to highest

<$60k$90k$140k$190k$240k+

Salaries are collected in $20k bands, so the ranges are approximate.

Base salary by monthly media spend managed

Box = the middle half of salariesLine = medianWhiskers = lowest to highest

Under $60k$90k$140k$190k$240k+

Salaries are collected in $20k bands, so the ranges are approximate. Respondents who don't manage spend directly are excluded.

Working arrangement by company size

0%25%50%75%100%

Working arrangement by company type

0%25%50%75%100%

Where paid media is heading — skills the market is trying to learn

Aggregates update live as responses arrive. Segments with fewer than 8 responses are flagged as provisional.

What's next

Stay tuned — I'll share the full findings on LinkedIn first once the survey closes, before the complete report is published here on the site. If we're not already connected, add me so you don't miss it.

Connect with Wylan on LinkedIn

Why it is worth seven minutes

Australian paid media salary benchmarks.
Real numbers, not guesswork.

Benchmark your package

See how your base, super and bonus compare across seniority, media spend managed, state and company size.

Know your market worth

Find out whether you sit above, at, or below the going rate for your role. Advertised roles centre on $90k–$110k.

See where paid media is heading

AI-driven buying, Performance Max, Advantage+ and retail media are reshaping the field — see what the market values next.

Who should take this

Built for everyone working in Australian paid media — in-house performance marketers, freelancers, search and social specialists, programmatic traders, agency leads and heads of performance. Any level, any company size.

In-houseFreelanceAgency-sidePaid searchPaid socialLead / HeadProgrammatic

Good to know

Questions, answered.

Is it really anonymous?