Side-by-side distribution
Demand Generation
$137,300
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 49.3%
- Live roles
- 136
SEM
$94,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 36.9%
- Live roles
- 130
Highest-paying jobs
Sr. Growth & Demand Generation Manager
Principal Demand Generation Manager, Campaign Development
Senior Manager Demand Generation
Founding Demand Generation Manager
Senior Manager, Demand Generation
Senior Demand Generation & Campaign Strategy Manager
Senior Program Manager, Demand Generation
Demand Generation Manager, AI
Senior Demand Generation Manager
Senior Demand Generation Manager
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Manager, Paid Search
Growth Marketing Manager, Web & Search
Principal Growth Marketing Manager - SEO/GEO
Global Paid Search Marketing Manager
Senior Digital Marketing Manager, Paid Search
Product Manager - Paid Search / Acquisition
Sr. Manager, Paid Search (SEM)
SEM Manager
Paid Search Performance Marketing Manager
Manager of Marketing, Paid Search
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Clients Blackbox, Inc.
|
$115,000 | 8 |
Motive
|
$100,500 | 3 |
Envoy
|
$133,750 | 2 |
|
Databricks
|
$244,425 | 1 |
|
LightSource
|
$225,000 | 1 |
|
Opal Security
|
$215,000 | 1 |
|
Basis AI
|
$187,500 | 1 |
|
Assort Health
|
$180,000 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Monks
|
$75,000 | 7 |
Wpromote
|
$82,000 | 3 |
|
Ovative Group
|
$130,500 | 2 |
Omnicom Media
|
$92,500 | 2 |
| ZG Zeta Global | $85,000 | 2 |
Pearmill
|
$76,250 | 2 |
Pavago
|
$30,000 | 2 |
|
Gametime United
|
$198,500 | 1 |
SEM salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $166,500 | 3 |
| Chicago | $111,000 | 5 |
| New York | $105,500 | 12 |
| Boston | $101,750 | 3 |
| Toronto | $72,593 | 3 |
Demand Generation vs SEM: which pays more?
The median for Demand Generation is $137,300 per year (typically $109,639–$155,000), versus $94,500 for SEM ($74,533–$118,850). That puts Demand Generation about 45% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Demand Generation and SEM are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.