SEO salary
19 market ranges · employer-stated pay · updated Mar 10, 2026
These figures come from 167 seo postings where the employer stated pay, covering 9 cities. The single best-evidenced figure is New York at mid level, where 28 postings put the middle half between $92,000 and $139,000, with a median of $125,000.
Pay rises with seniority. Typical figures run entry level around $67,000, mid level around $87,000, senior around $131,000 and lead around $164,000. Moving from entry level to lead is worth roughly 146% more.
Every range here is counted from real postings, never modelled. 11 of the 17 ranges rest on fewer than 10 postings, so treat those as a hint rather than a benchmark; the sample column tells you which.
Every measured range
19 by city and level| City | Level | Market range | Median | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amsterdam | Senior | €51,000 – €63,000 | €63,000 | 9 |
| Austin | Entry | $45,000 – $80,000 | $65,000 | 7 |
| Austin | Mid | $71,000 – $81,000 | $81,000 | 6 |
| Boston | Mid | $72,000 – $127,000 | $113,000 | 8 |
| Cape Town | Mid | $17,000 – $17,000 | $17,000 | 8 |
| Charlotte | Mid | $56,000 – $58,000 | $58,000 | 12 |
| Chicago | Entry | $45,000 – $84,000 | $66,000 | 8 |
| Chicago | Mid | $52,000 – $72,000 | $71,000 | 10 |
| Chicago | Senior | $76,000 – $109,000 | $90,000 | 7 |
| Denver | Entry | $66,000 – $77,000 | $66,000 | 6 |
| Denver | Mid | $72,000 – $102,000 | $74,000 | 8 |
| Johannesburg | Mid | $17,000 – $17,000 | $17,000 | 8 |
| New York | Entry | $47,000 – $115,000 | $68,000 | 13 |
| New York | Lead | $106,000 – $188,000 | $164,000 | 8 |
| New York | Mid | $92,000 – $139,000 | $125,000 | 28 |
| New York | Senior | $101,000 – $145,000 | $140,000 | 15 |
| San Francisco | Mid | $118,000 – $140,000 | $134,000 | 10 |
| San Francisco | Senior | $159,000 – $189,000 | $159,000 | 5 |
| Toronto | Mid | CA$74,000 – CA$96,000 | CA$82,000 | 13 |
Ranges span the 25th to 75th percentile of employer-stated base pay for the city and level. Median is the 50th percentile. Sample is the number of postings measured.