Side-by-side distribution
Performance Marketing
$114,763
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 49.3%
- Live roles
- 223
SEM
$118,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 28.4%
- Live roles
- 116
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Manager, Paid Media
Performance Marketing Manager
Paid Media Manager
Senior Performance Marketing Manager - Australia
Senior Performance Marketing Manager - Taiwan
Senior Performance Marketing Manager - Latin America
Senior Performance Marketing Manager - SEA
Senior Performance Marketing Manager
Performance Marketing Manager (Paid)
Performance Marketing Manager
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Manager, Search Marketing
Paid Search/SEO Manager
Search Engine Marketing Account Manager
Senior Manager, Performance Marketing, SEM
Senior Performance Marketing Manager, Paid Search
Senior Performance Marketing Manager, Paid Search
Sr. Manager, Paid Search (Remote)
Manager, Performance Marketing, Paid Search
Manager, Technical SEO Marketing
Growth Marketing Manager (SEO & GEO)
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
EverAI
|
$48,027 | 25 |
|
Airwallex
|
$142,500 | 6 |
|
Jobscan
|
$1,200,000 | 5 |
|
Harvey
|
$170,000 | 4 |
GoCardless
|
$270,400 | 2 |
Sierra
|
$185,000 | 2 |
Samsara
|
$126,604 | 2 |
NerdWallet
|
$124,250 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Airwallex
|
$145,000 | 3 |
Wpromote
|
$90,000 | 3 |
|
Harvey
|
$170,000 | 2 |
Omnicom Media
|
$92,500 | 2 |
|
Hometap
|
$5,000,000 | 1 |
|
Pair Eyewear, Inc.
|
$3,000,000 | 1 |
|
WITHIN
|
$1,000,000 | 1 |
|
Rula
|
$162,810 | 1 |
Performance Marketing salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| London | $270,400 | 4 |
| San Francisco | $152,956 | 16 |
| New York | $146,250 | 16 |
| Boston | $135,000 | 4 |
| Toronto | $85,270 | 3 |
SEM salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $150,500 | 6 |
| New York | $139,550 | 10 |
Performance Marketing vs SEM: which pays more?
The median for Performance Marketing is $114,763 per year (typically $79,209–$157,125), versus $118,000 for SEM ($95,000–$150,500). That puts SEM about 3% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Performance Marketing 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.